A young man admitted to police that he had a sexual interest in child abuse images since the age of 12.

Alexander Mellors, 23, of Sandiacre, Derbyshire, was found with nearly 2,000 indecent images of children on his electronic devices. The images included the most serious category, depicting adults abusing young victims in disturbing ways.

Derby Crown Court heard that police raided Mellors' home in December 2020 and seized a USB stick, an Apple phone, a PC, an Xbox, and an HP laptop. The devices contained 304 Category A images and videos, 332 Category B images and videos, 999 Category C images and videos, and 191 prohibited images of children.

Mellors admitted to having a sexual interest in children but claimed he had only downloaded the prohibited images. He told police he had this interest since the age of 12.

Judge Shaun Smith QC, who spared Mellors an immediate prison sentence, emphasized the seriousness of the crime and the impact on the real children depicted in the images.

"What you did was bad and the reason it was bad is because the children you were looking at in these pictures are real children being abused by men. And if people continue looking at them then the people can think they can carry on doing it," Judge Smith said.

He also acknowledged Mellors' lack of social interaction and his isolation.

"I don't wish to embarrass (you) but (you) have got no friends and (you've) had peer group issues throughout (your) life and (you) have effectively and metaphorically locked (yourself) in (your) bedroom. You present as a pathetic character and I don't mean that in a horrible way. "I mean you have suffered and as a result of that now you feel the only thing you can do is to go on your computer and, to quote you, 'go down this rabbit hole' and carrying on looking," Judge Smith said.

Mellors was sentenced to a three-year community order, including 30 rehabilitation sessions, a 42-day sex offender rehabilitation program, 150 hours of unpaid work, and a five-year sexual harm prevention order. He was also placed on the sex offender register for five years.

Judge Smith warned Mellors to avoid further trouble and stop looking at these images.

"You don't want to go to prison do you?" Judge Smith asked.

A visibly upset Mellors replied, "No."

"Of course you don't, keep out of trouble, stop looking at these images and you won't. Don't cause your parents any more hassle," Judge Smith said.