A student who downloaded hundreds of indecent images of children while at university in Oxford has been sentenced.
Benjamin Chavasse, of Flanchford Road, London, was found with a total of 514 images while at Oxford Brookes in 2023, a court heard.
The 23-year-old pleaded guilty to being in possession of 304 category A images, 113 category B images, 97 category C image and eight extreme pornographic images in Oxford on March 5 2023.
Philip Sutton, prosecuting, told the court on Monday, January 12 that police received information the images had been uploaded to Chavasse's device in 2022.
He admitted to the offences in a police interview.
He claimed he had been blackmailed to send the images to others.
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Mr Sutton confirmed that Chavasse had no previous convictions.
Peter Du Feu, mitigating, said: "He was at Oxford Brookes University and he was isolated. He wasn't coping well, so he resorted to this behaviour for the first time in his life.
"It was overwhelming for him. His parents are endlessly supportive. He is a vulnerable young man and they are addressing that as a family.
"He cannot comprehend he was able to access that number of images."
Judge Ian Pringle KC said: "By collecting these images, you are creating a market for images of children who are abused."
Chavasse was handed a two-year community order.
This will involve 180 hours of unpaid work in 12 months, 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days and £200 in costs.
He was also made the subject of a five-year sexual harm prevention order and an order was made for the forfeiture and destruction of the devices seized.
