Friday, November 10: A Kings Langley man has been jailed for possession of thousands of child porn images.
The smell from Martin Smee's flat was so strong that neighbours called the police thinking that he had died.
But when officers entered the filthy home they uncovered more than two thousand images of child pornography and a small girl's underwear.
When Smee, a recluse and loner, returned from work the police found even more images of child abuse that he had been carrying around in his briefcase, St Albans crown court heard this week.
Prosecutor Peter Shaw said police went to his flat in Station Approach, Kings Langley, on 15 June last year.
They found 2,056 images of child abuse. 38 were at the most serious level, level five, 278 were at level four, 452 at level three, 355 at level two and 928 at level one.
The ages of the victims ranged from between 3 and 4 to 13 or 14.
They had been collected over about 10 years and had saved on discs and listed by Smee.
One folder on his computer was called "Kids."
Stories of child pornography and abuse were also found.
He had used his mobile phone to take four secret photographs of women while on a train journey.
Of the 46 images he was carrying in his briefcase, 20 were at either level four or five.
Smee said he was carrying them around to dispose of them - something the judge said he did not believe.
Smee told the police he had found the girl's underwear in a launderette.
Smee, who is now living in St Helens, Lancs appeared for sentence having pleaded guilty to making and possessing child pornography images. He was of previous good character.
Jason Halsey, defending, said Smee, who had been working for an internet service provider, had not distributed any of the images.
He said he was a "sad and isolated individual" who had been "open and frank" with the police and probation officers.
Judge Michael Kay QC sentenced Smee to 15 months jail. He ordered that he must be placed on licence for 3 years on his release so that the probation service can monitor him and place him on a sex offenders programme.
Smee must also register as a sex offender for 10 years, is banned from working with children and is subjected to a 10 year sexual offending probation order which will allow the police access to his computers.
The judges ordered that the images be destroyed.
The judge told Smee: "Child pornography involves cruelty, violence and depravity towards children. It is an industry which relies on people like you. "
He went on: "You appear to me to be a typical offender in this type of case. You are a loner and a recluse. These is a sad and wretched case.
"I hope the co-operation you have shown will continue on your release."
Smee replied: "It will."
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