A father who owned a pink stretch-limousine, which he hired out and used to drive schoolgirls to their prom party, was exposed today (June 26) as a paedophile with "an unhealthy interest in young children."

Robert Westgarth, 38, from Priestwood, was arrested by police who found indecent pictures of children aged from six to 16 years on his electronic devices. Westgarth, who had a pornography addiction, was convicted on charges of making and obtaining indecent images of children, some of which were of the most serious category.

Westgarth had previously hit Bracknell News headlines when he offered to take a group of young girls to their school prom in a pink limousine as a 'good deed' after he received a cancellation for his chauffeur services.

At Reading Crown Court, Judge Angela Morris sentenced Westgarth to 21 months in prison, suspended for two years, and ordered him to attend 25 rehabilitation courses.

"The four offences relate to the production and possession of 35 indecent images, both still and moving, of children found on Mr Westgarth's devices, aged from six years to 16 years," Prosecutor Kirsty Allman told the court.

Judge Morris said, "Police visited your home and found indecent images on your storage devices and a video the jury found you had deliberately taken on your mobile phone. This was deliberate and premeditated but you maintained that it was entirely innocent. On the storage device you were found to have deliberately searched for indecent images of children which were category A, B and C. You are now 38 years of age and until this came to light, you were a family man. You have admitted in the pre-sentence report and to the jury, that you have an addiction. To put it bluntly, it has been said that you have an unhealthy interest in young children."

Defence counsel, Giuseppina Silvio argued, "Mr Westgarth has admitted a serious addiction to pornography. He has demonstrated that he has taken serious steps to address his obsession."

Judge Morris responded, "It seems to me that you are still in that place, there is still a long way to go. You still maintain that story you gave to the jury despite them rejecting it but you have not made much of accepting the reality of the situation. You still have little or no insight into why the jury found you guilty."

Westgarth was also made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 10 years and was ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £140 and £500 prosecution costs.

Judge Morris concluded, "Show to your family that you are the man that they had all hoped you were, the man you were before this and the man you want to be."