A PERVERT pensioner was found with more than 1,500 indecent images of children.

Following intelligence, police issued a search warrant of the address of Patrick Houghton on Bodmin Close, Runcorn, in January 2023.

Officers recovered a number of devices including a laptop, HP tower unit and Dell tower unit.

Rosemary Procter, prosecuting, told Chester Magistrates Court on Tuesday that analysis of the devices revealed an extensive stash of indecent images of children - mainly stored on the HP tower unit.

Ms Procter said the 74-year-old had been searching for indecent images of children on the internet.

And among the collection of images, included 91 still images which were graded as category A – the most severe category involving child rape.

There were also 138 category B images, and 1285 graded category C.

A number of moving images were also found on the devices, namely one category A and seven category C.

20 prohibited images were also recovered, along with 32 extreme pornographic images.

Houghton was interviewed by police on January 3 and September 6, 2023, in which he denied being in possession of sick images of children.

Addressing the defendant before sentencing, Honour Judge Berkson said: “Each of these images demonstrates a child being abused.

“You have been searching for sick images. The length of time and number of devices aggravates this case.”

Houghton was handed an eight-month jail sentence suspended for two years. He was ordered to carry out 60 rehabilitation requirement days and was issued a curfew.