Mark Hutchinson-Schofield, 43, was found to have downloaded the vile images after police received a tip-off and raided his flat at Lovell Park Heights, Leeds.

Many of the most serious images included toddlers between the ages of one and three.

A court heard yesterday that Hutchinson-Schofield was jailed for 14 years after the violent rape of a 16-year-old girl in her own home in 1989. 

Masked and armed with a knife, he bound and gagged the teenager before carrying out the sustained attack

He then held the girl’s mother at knife-point before robbing her of cash.

He was released 10 years into his sentence.

Peter Moulson, prosecuting, said police acted on intelligence that Hutchinson-Schofield had downloaded the images on computers at his home in October 2008.

His home was searched again and more images seized in July last year after officers failed to find all of the technology in the property. 

A total of 286 images were at level five – the most serious – 2,164 at level four, 905 at level three, 554 at level two and 24,218 at level one.

Hutchinson-Smith pleaded guilty to 21 offences of making an indecent image of a child.

David Orbaum, mitigating, said Hutchinson-Schofield pleaded guilty to all offences at the earliest opportunity and accepted that he would be going to prison.

There was no suggestion the images had been distributed to anyone else or downloaded for any other purpose than for his own use.

Mr Orbaum said Hutchinson-Schofield could not claim to be a man of good character but his previous convictions could have little bearing on his latest offences in terms of sentence.

Judge James Spencer jailed Hutchinson-Schofield for 15 months and ordered him to register as a sex offender for the next ten years.