A RHYL man claimed he download indecent images of young girls because he was trying to understand how paedophiles think.

Appearing at Mold Crown Court, Ian Andrew Cadd, 29, pleaded guilty to downloading 16 images rated at category C - the lowest grade for child abuse images - after earlier admitting to being in possession of eight images at category B and 16 images and a movie at category A at a hearing at Llandudno Magistrates Court in December.

Simon Rodgers, prosecuting, said police officers had executed a search warrant at Cadd's home on Barry Road South, Rhyl, on October 4, 2018, after receiving intelligence that indecent images had been downloaded from the address.

Cadd, who lived at the address with his wife and young daughter, was arrested and two laptops and a mobile phone were seized which were forensically examined and revealed that software had been downloaded that allowed anonymous internet browsing.

Investigations showed that illegal content had been accessed with clearly explicit titles that included material relating to seven and nine year old girls engaging in sexual acts with adult males. The category A film showed a girl thought to be around 11-years-old performing sex acts on a web cam.

Mr Rodgers said Cadd had told police officers he accepted responsibility for his actions and was aware of the illegality of what he had done.

He said he had gone to an online discussion board where links to the material had been posted included one labelled 'pre-teen hardcore' and wanted to look at them as he had been sexually abused as a child and "wanted to know how paedophiles think" in order to understand his own situation.

Cadd said he was not a paedophile and had looked at the images through "morbid curiosity", telling officers he "didn't know what was going on in his head".

Sarah Yates, defending, said Cadd was a man of previously good character who understood the seriousness if his offences.

Judge Rhys Rowlands said: "These are serious and disturbing images made more serious by the ages of the children.

"Your behaviour can be addressed and you will be challenged about the ridiculous explanation as to why you seeked out this material."

Judge Rowlands handed Cadd a two year community order with a 40 hour rehabilitation activity requirement and fined him £500.

Cadd will also have to register as a sex offender for five years and pay £530 costs and a victim surcharge of £85.