A KILWINNING man has avoided being sent to prison after police discovered over 2,000 indecent images of children on his computer.

Ronald Murray spent ten years searching for and downloading child pornography, without being caught, after developing a “fascination” with them, Kilmarnock Sheriff Court heard.

However, his home in Fergushill Road was finally raided by police officers at 9.25am on June 10, last year.

Officers acting on intelligence received had been granted a warrant to search the property, and in doing so seized a number of items including three computer hard drives.

When searched, these hard drives were found to contain 2,108 pornographic images involving children and 179 movies.

Some of the material was found to be at the very worst level of depravity.

Murray was detained by police at 10.50am and taken to Saltcoats Police Office for interview.

When asked by officers about his involvement with the downloaded material, Murray claimed he hadn’t gone looking for images of children, but had downloaded some by accident and “became somewhat fascinated by them”.

He told police: “I wouldn’t necessarily say it was a turn-on, it was just a fascination.” Officers examining the material - along with search terms used by Murray - noted that he had a predilection for young boys and girls ranging from two to 14 years of age.

The 58-year-old appeared at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court in February, when he pled guilty to taking or permitting to be taken or making indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of children between September 3, 2002 and May 24, 2013.

He was put on the Sex Offenders Register at that time, but returned to court for sentencing last week, when he was ordered to undertake 300 hours of unpaid work and put on supervision for three years.

He was also served with a sexual prevention order for five years, during which time he will not be permitted to approach or contact anyone under 17 and be prohibited from deleting his internet history.

He will also only be able to live at addresses or take jobs that have been approved by the police.