Former Odiham man shared child abuse fantasies on Facebook Published duration 4 October 2019

image caption David Reid, 74, was given a two-year suspended jail sentence

A 74-year-old man who used Facebook Messenger to share his fantasies of sexually abusing schoolgirls has been given a suspended prison sentence.

David Reid admitted possessing more than 1,000 indecent images and videos of children aged between one and 14.

They included 98 still and 39 moving images deemed to be in the most serious category, Winchester Crown Court heard.

Reid, who lived in Odiham in Hampshire when he was arrested, was given a two-year sentence, suspended for two years.

Police discovered encryption-protected indecent images on his desktop computer, a back-up hard drive and mobile phone, the court heard.

The former hypnotherapist had sent images to fellow paedophiles via email and discussed with them a fantasy he had of abusing a child, the prosecution said.

He had said he lived near his daughter's old school and there were "still plenty of teenage girls passing by his window", the court was told.

'Emotional harm'

Reid admitted three counts of making indecent images of children, as well as possessing and distributing images, and sending an offensive communication.

Defence barrister Sharmila Salvi said her client admitted the offences during his first police interview.

He acknowledged he was attracted to schoolgirls but had never acted on his urges, she added.

Passing sentence, Judge Susan Evans QC said the children he had watched in child abuse films had "suffered long-term physical and emotional harm".

She told Reid: "One of the reasons they suffer is because you are the market."

She added, however, that Reid was considered to be at low risk of reoffending and would stand a better chance of being rehabilitated outside of prison.

Reid, who the court heard moved out of his marital home to Chichester after being arrested, was also given a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years.