A MAN found in possession of more than 200 indecent images of children has been sentenced three years after he was first arrested.

Nicholas Walker, 54, was arrested after police executed a search warrant at his home in May 2019.

Colchester Magistrates’ Court heard officers received information the internet connection at the address had been used to access indecent images of children.

Across four devices, police found 18 images of the most serious Category A, 43 images at Category B and 172 images at Category C.

The court heard in police interview Walker accepted the electronic devices were his and “no-one else used them”.

Jo Barham, prosecuting, added: “He said he didn’t directly look for images of children, but accepted images were present on the devices.”

The court was told Walker, of Apprentice Drive, Colchester, has no previous convictions or cautions.

Elliott Moulster, mitigating, said magistrates had the benefit of an “extensive” pre-sentence report prepared by the probation service.

He said: “He has had these offences hanging over head since 2019, when he was arrested and then for whatever reason it wasn’t until 2021 when he was interviewed.”

He said a letter penned by a family member “speaks very highly of him”.

Robert Caccavale, chairman of the bench, said: “A pre-sentence report has been prepared about you by the probation service and it falls upon us to sentence you today, giving you credit for the co-operation you’ve shown to the police and the fact you’ve pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.”

Walker was sentenced to a two-year community order. He must carry out 200 hours of unpaid work and complete a 40-day rehabilitation activity requirement.