A WELL-KNOWN Hampshire businessman has been spared prison after he admitted downloading more than 500 vile images of children.

Andrew Rees-Long was found with 545 indecent images and film clips of children and also admitted six charges of distributing 64 images to others using Internet chatrooms.

Prosecuting, Colin Meeke said 527 of the images were of children under the age of 13, some as young as one.

Rees-Long, who is the general manager of wholesale fruit and vegetable business DWB Long Ltd based in Whiteparish, had 120 pictures and two film clips at level four and 50 pictures at level five – the most serious category of pornography.

The court also heard Rees-Long, 42, had been accessing the images over a period of four years, from July 2005 to June 2009.

Defending, William Mousley said Rees-Long had taken steps immediately on his arrest to get treatment, pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and fully co-operated with the police.

He outlined how a prison term would devastate his family-run business that although based in Whiteparish, also has numerous greengrocers in the south, including Southampton, Bournemouth, Ringwood and Romsey.

Mr Mousley said: “He doesn’t shy away from the fact that these are serious offences.

Pressures in his family life and at work, where he holds a position of considerable responsibility, led to him spending more and more time on the computer and getting drawn into the despicable business of looking at and distributing this sort of material.

“The effect on those other innocent people is likely to be very significant because he is the lifeblood of that business and always has been.”

He said the married, father-of-two’s family would suffer financially if he went to prison.

Sentencing Rees-Long, of Castle Lane, Devizes, at Salisbury Crown Court Judge Dixon said: “Some of the photographs which have been described are truly dreadful. These are real children who have been subjected to the most appalling and degrading treatment.

“I am left with a stark choice – a period of imprisonment insufficient to afford you access to treatment and wreak havoc on your business and personal life or adopt an apparently lenient course.”

He sentenced him to a three-year community order with a supervision condition and a condition to attend a sex offenders’ treatment programme. He also told him he would have to sign the sex offenders’ register and remain on it for five years.

Judge Dixon said: “You have the chance to rebuild your life, return to society and make sure this doesn’t happen again.”