A FORMER Tesco employee who became "desensitised" to adult pornography viewed indecent images of children for his pleasure, a court heard.

Matthew King was caught with dozens of videos and photographs of children, some involving sexual abuse of the youngsters, when officers raided his house.

The 38-year-old was subsequently suspended from Tesco on New Years Eve as an investigation into his behaviour was carried out by police.

Southampton Crown Court heard that when King's electronic devices were examined he was found to have made seven photographs and three moving category A images, 31 still and one moving category B images as well as 163 category C photographs.

Prosectutor Daniel Sawyer told the court that officers executed a warrant at King's address after recieving information and indecent material being viewed through an IP address.

He said: "King said he had seen images of children while looking at adult pornography. He was arrested and in his first interview he gave a prepared statement denying the making of the indecent images.

"After his computer was examined he then admitted seeing the images."

Search terms used by King included "pre-teen hardcore" when his Samsung Galaxy phone and computer tower block were examined.

Thousands of extreme pornographic images were found but no separate charge was put to King in relation to that.

Mr Sawyer added: "In an interview King said he had been desensitised to adult pornography so began looking at children. He would immediately delete the material after he had viewed it.

"He denied being sexually attracted to children and did not know why he had looked at the images."

The court heard that King was "ashamed about his behaviour" and no longer uses a computer, just a mobile phone.

King, of Woodlands Road, pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children.

He was sentenced to nine-months imprisonment, suspended for two years. He was made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order and must carry out 100 hours unpaid work.