A pervert had a stash of nearly 2,000 child porn images on his computer at his Burnley home.

The town's crown court heard how Jordan Halstead, 38, immediately produced four memory sticks from a sock when police raided his home in January, 2011. Officers were to discover pictures of boys being abused, some of them tied up.

Halstead was arrested, said he was confused about his sexuality and claimed he used the images for artwork. He had a conviction for indecent assault on a male under 14 in 1992, Burnley Crown Court heard.

Halstead, who was sacked because of the court proceedings and was said to have been since been suicidal, admitted 17 charges of making an indecent image of a child and had been committed for sentence by Pennine Magistrates.

The defendant, now living in Eastbourne, was given a three year community order, with supervision and a sex offenders' treatment programme. He must pay £200 costs.

Halstead was placed on the sex offenders' register for five years, banned from working with children for life and was given a five year sexual offences prevention order, under which police can monitor his internet use.

David Macro, prosecuting, said Halstead had 1,908 images at level one, 30 at level two, two at level three and four and 42 at level five, the most serious level.

On January 15, 2011, police had received information the defendant was a member of an on- line community.

They executed a search warrant on January 26 and he immediately went to the bathroom, got the memory sticks from a sock and handed them to the police.

He was asked how much porn would be on them and he replied: "A lot."

He was arrested and questioned, confirmed the internet site was for people who liked boys and said he had left because the comments from other members were too extreme.

Mr Macro said the defendant told officers he used to be interested in women, he was not attracted to young boys, but liked the body of boys and liked to draw them.

The hearing was told Halstead had been given a conditional discharge in 1992, for putting his hand on the knee of a schoolboy.

James Heyworth, for the defendant, said he had left the Burnley area. The barrister continued :" He lost his employment due to these proceedings and suffered some difficulties due to these proceedings."

Sentencing, Judge Jonathan Gibson told Halstead :" It seems to me that whilst there are risks, they are risks that can be managed and managed properly within the community."