by Julia Roberts

A pervert who claimed images depicting "horrendous" child abuse and sex with a horse were part of a fantasy world was jailed today.

Alan Church, 50, of Bartlett Road, Gravesend, also downloaded extreme pornographic images portraying sex acts on a horse.

He later told police he had become "desensitised" by what he had viewed on the Internet.

Maidstone Crown Court heard Church had started out searching for adult porn using the words "lesbians, homosexuals and grannies" after experiencing problems within his marriage.

But he admitted following his arrest in July last year that he then went on to download "everything", including both still images and movie clips.

At the time he said he was also suffering from stress caused by his job.

Prosecutor Keith Yardy told the court: "He said it was a fantasy world and that what was on his computer was not real."

However, passing sentence today, Judge Philip Statman, who viewed some of the images, described the faces of the young victims as "haunting".

Addressing Church he remarked: "In the comfort of your own home you have downloaded movie clips and stills of acts of horrendous sexual abuse upon children by adults.

"They display no emotion as they are being abused. They have no one to turn to.

"You downloaded these images in my judgement for your own sexual gratification, in all likelihood never believing for one moment that you would ever be caught."

Church admitted two offences of possessing indecent photographs of children and three of possessing extreme pornographic images.

The 154 child abuse images covered all levels of serious. There were a total of 77 extreme pornographic images.

The court heard that although Church has apologised to his family he has very little insight into his offences and remains in denial.

Christina Rowberry, defending, said Church became obsessed with downloading material and could not stop himself.

"Too much material is accessible on the internet," she added, "and the variety is so great that it causes in many the desensitisation that the defendant has alluded to."

Church was also made subject to a sexual offences prevention order for 5 years and must sign on the sex offenders' register for 10 years.

His wife, who was said to be standing by him, was not in court.