Ex-teacher downloaded child porn

Police made the discovery after executing a search warrant at 65-year-old Stuart Hodgson’s home in Ashton Court, Newmillerdam, Wakefield, in March last year.

Hodgson, a former art teacher at Kettlethorpe High School, Wakefield, was arrested after officers analysed a computer and a computer tower seized in the raid.

A total of 62 images of child abuse were at levels four and five – the two most serious categories of offending. The images featured children between the ages of three and 16.

Officers also discovered images and videos of animals being sexually abused.

Alistair Campbell, prosecuting, said Hodgson told police that he had a drink problem and had been accessing illegal material since 2007.

Mr Campbell said: “He said he had become interested in pornography and he is the sort of person who, when he gets interested in a subject, he likes to find out all about it.”

Hodgson pleaded guilty to 21 offences of making indecent images of a child and one of possession of extreme pornography.

The prosecutor said there was no evidence that Hodgson had distributed or sold the images to anyone else.

Judge James Spencer QC made Hodgson the subject of a three-year community and supervision order.