Suspended sentence for ex-Shropshire man with 3,500 child sex images on computer

Police investigators found 3,596 images on two computers used by Sean Patrick Molloy.

Molloy, 27, of Atherton Street, New Brighton, Wallasey, was handed a 12-month jail sentence suspended for two years, a two-year supervision order, told to attend a sex offender programme and made the subject of an indefinite Sexual Offences Prevention Order at Liverpool Crown Court.

He admitted three charges of making indecent photographs of children and admitted possession of indecent photographs of children.

Mr Paul Blasbery, prosecuting, said Molloy, was arrested at his home for an unrelated matter in August 2013. His computer was seized and police found indecent images on its hard drive.

He was released on bail and moved to his girlfriend's address in Oswestry. But when a laptop belonging to his girlfriend was examined, more indecent images were discovered.

Mr Blasbery said 465 of the images were classified in the most serious category, Category A, and 1,316 in the second most serious category.

Paul Davison, defending, said his client believed he would go to prison when he was first arrested. He had a daughter born shortly after his arrest that he had not seen.

"He has issues which clearly need to be addressed. He is a high risk of harm to children," he said.

Judge David Aubrey, QC, said Molloy looked at the photographs for his "sexual gratification".