A paedophile who downloaded more than 4,800 indecent images of children has been jailed for three years.
Leicester Crown Court was told it was the second time John Shepherd had committed such offences.
The police went to his home in Market Place, Whitwick, and found that although there was nothing illegal on his computer, he had accessed child pornography on a separate portable hard drive, in March last year.
He pleaded guilty to eight counts of making indecent images by accessing them on the internet.
They related to 4,284 images in the least serious category at level one, 261 at level two, 54 at level three and 253 at level four.
Some of the images, mainly of girls aged between eight and 14, included video footage.
Shepherd (37) was made the subject of a sexual offences prevention order, restricting his future computer use, which will be monitored by the authorities.
He will have to enlist on a sex offender register for life.
Sentencing, Judge Sylvia De Bertodano said: “These images are created for a market.
“If people like you didn’t want to see these pictures there would be no incentive to make them and in that way you’re a direct contributor to the horrific abuse of young children.
“I accept you’ve had a difficult childhood and to some extent a difficult life. I’m also told you’re the main carer for your grandmother, who’s ill, and she’s very badly affected by this and the trouble you’re now in.
“In 2007, you were sentenced to two years imprisonment for similar offences to this, as well as engaging in sexual activity in the presence of 10 year old girls.”
Gregor Purcell, mitigating, said: “He wasn’t involved in distributing the images. It was for private viewing for his own sick purposes.”
Mr Purcell said Shepherd did not have the opportunity to address his offending on a course when he was last in prison.
He urged a community order with a long-term rehabilitation programme instead of custody.
Mr Purcell said: “It would force him to address and confront and put right the inappropriate thinking that’s brought him back before the court.
“Unless he’s in prison for a significant period of time, he won’t qualify for the treatment he needs.”
Judge Bertodano said that although Shepherd may be helped by a community order, and was likely to receive little assistance addressing his problems in custody, the offences were too serious for anything other than a prison sentence.
