A 67-year-old Drybrook man has avoided jail jailed for downloading more than 1,000 indecent images of children. Simon Goodman, prosecuting, told Gloucester Crown Court last Friday that the National Crime Agency informed Gloucestershire Police that illegal images of children were being downloaded from Kevin Passey's home in Bracken Road, Drybrook. “The police attended Mr Passey’s home and a number of digital devices were seized,” said Mr Goodman.

“A tower computer was initially examined and internet search terms relating to child pornography were discovered. "A subsequent detailed examination of the Acer computer found 1,123 indecent images stored on it. All images were stills with no videos in evidence.”

Alistair Haggerty, defending, said: “I am told that Passey has mental health issues. He is anxious and ashamed by his actions which brought him here to the Crown Court today. “There are no moving images among the items discovered on his computer. It therefore distinguishes it from most other cases that end up in this court. Most of the images are in the lowest category of seriousness.

“Passey had been in the military during the 1970s, but now lives a lonely, isolated, sad existence. He doesn’t have a meaningful intimate relationship with anybody.

“He had a heavy drinking problem, which lowered his inhibitions, which in turn made him look at child pornography. He has no memory of downloading these images due to his intoxication and use of drugs. “Following his arrest, he turned to a specialist organisation to help him with his demons. He was keen to receive help. He had completed a number of courses, but he is still having ongoing issues.

“Passey has also abstained from consuming alcohol since his arrest and he is aware of the real risk of a custodial sentence today.”

Passey admitted that between March 6, 2022 and June 16, 2023 he made 207 indecent images of children in the most serious Category A; 202 indecent images in category B and 614 in category C. T

he judge, Recorder Don Tait told Passey: “These are very distasteful offences, especially as I see far too many of them day in day out in this court. You claim to have no memory of this offending due to intoxication. If this is true, then it’s a sad state of affairs. “It is clear to me that in your daily existence, you are isolated and end up looking at material like this when you are at a low ebb.

“You are being sentenced to a two-year community order so that you can address a number of issues in your life. This includes 40 rehabilitation activity requirement days, a mental health treatment requirement for the whole period and 120 day alcohol abstinence monitoring requirement.”

Passey was also subjected to the terms of a 10 year sexual harm prevention order and placed on the sex offenders’ register for the same time period.