A 52-year-old former Army officer caught in possession of child pornography has been jailed for six months.

Phillip Dutfield, also found to have drugs at his address, was told by a judge that the pictures showed children being subjected to “the most depraved form of sexual abuse".

Maidstone Crown Court heard that Dutfield's home in Old Castle Walk, Gillingham, was searched in November 2004.

John O’Higgins, prosecuting, said the case arose from an examination of CDs, floppy discs and the computer hard drive.

Also seized were Class C drugs – 480 diazepam tablets and 258 temazepam pills. Dutfield, who worked as an administrator at a home for people with learning difficulties, said he downloaded all kinds of material from the internet.

When interviewed more extensively almost a year later, he said he did so “because I have a morbid interest in my world”.

Dutfield said he believed he had disposed of the pornographic material, some dating back to 1997. But it was found in deleted files, said Mr O’Higgins. Dutfield, who reached captain’s rank, admitted 10 charges of possessing indecent images of children and possessing the drugs.

Dickon Edwards, defending, said Dutfield, a grandfather, had looked at the images out of morbid interest.

“He gets no sexual gratification whatsoever from it,” he said. “He does not consider himself a paedophile.”

Judge Jeremy Carey said of the child porn on Wednesday: “You knowingly viewed it. You cannot and do not deny that and that is what places you in such a grave position.”

Downloading such material, he said, perpetuated the abuse of children, creating a ready market “for those who indulge in such vile exploitation”.

He ordered a two-year extended licence period and that Dutfield should remain on the sex offenders’ register for five years.