A PAEDOPHILE pensioner who had more than 28,000 pornographic images of children on his computer has been spared prison.

Gareth Anthony Albans, of Elton Road in Banbury, admitted having 27,964 category A, B and C photographs of children on his Acer laptop.

He had downloaded them all during a five-year period.

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The 70-year-old pleaded guilty to having 123 category A images as well as 277 category B images and 27,564 category C.

Category A images show penetrative sexual activity while Category B images involve other sexual activity.

Category C images are defined as those with 'sexually suggestive' content such as nude photos.

Albans also admitted being in possession of 50 prohibited images of a child.

He admitted downloading them all between August 21, 2012, and September 25, 2018.

He was sentenced at Oxford Crown Court on December 5.

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For the first charge, of the Category A images, Albans was given an eight months prison sentence suspended for 18 months.

For the second and third charges, of the Category B and C images, Albans was given a prison sentence of four months, suspended for 18 months.

For the final charge of being in possession of 50 prohibited images, Albans was given an eight month prison sentence suspended for 18 months.

The sentences will run concurrently to each other, which means the longest prison sentence of eight months will be imposed if he breaks the law in the next 18 months.

After that, these charges will not be considered at another sentencing.

Albans was also ordered to take part in rehabilitation activity 25 days and was handed a sexual harm probation order for five years.