A MAN caught with child sex abuse images told a probation officer he looked at them “to get high”.

One of the pictures Michael Igoe had was of a six-year-old girl being orally raped by a man who appeared to be the photographer.

Police raided the 39-year-old’s home in Monmouth after they had a tip-off the defendant was “discussing the sexual abuse of children” in an online chatroom.

Megan Jones, prosecuting, told Newport Crown Court officers found 15 category A indecent images, the most serious kind.

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They also came across 18 category B indecent images and 16 category C indecent images.

Igoe admitted three counts of the possession of indecent images of children.

The offences were committed between May 15, 2022 and October 07, 2023.

The defendant has no previous convictions.

Laurence Jones said: “His best mitigation is the guilty pleas.

“He hasn’t tried to put up smokescreens – he takes full responsibility for what he’s done.

“The defendant has talked about his disgust and shame as to what he's ended up doing.

“He has pulled no punches.”
His barrister added: “The defendant has volunteered himself to counselling and therapy.

“His remorse is perfectly genuine.

“He has done the right thing in that he has moved away from the family home and now lives Lincolnshire where he's based with his parents.”

Judge Matthew Porter-Bryant told Igoe: “It seems as though you have accepted responsibility for your viewing of wholly inappropriate material.

“You have told the pre-sentence report author that you do not have a sexual interest in children per se but it was part of you seeking something different and a high to increase your dopamine levels, as you put it.”

The defendant, of Main Street, Thorpe-on-the-Hill, Lincoln was jailed for six months but that sentence was suspended for 18 months.

Igoe will have to carry out 60 hours of unpaid work and complete a 30-day rehabilitation activity requirement.

He must register as a sex offender and was made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order for five years.