FORMER ABC presenter Andy Muirhead is behind bars after pleading guilty to three charges relating to child pornography.

Muirhead has been remanded in custody until his next appearance in the Tasmanian Supreme Court on August 14.

Chief Justice Ewan Crawford said he needed to consider a psychologist's report after prosecutor Maitland Lincoln took issue with it. The report, tendered by Muirhead's defence, concludes the 36-year-old has no sexual interest in children despite him downloading more than 12,000 child pornography images, some described as "sadistic'', from February 2009 until June 2010.

Chief Justice Crawford said the evidence in the report may need to be proven in court.

Muirhead has been on bail since he was charged in June 2010.

Earlier, the court heard an apology from him in a letter read by his lawyer Kim Baumeler.



"I wish to express how sorry I am as I stand here before the court, guilty of the charges of accessing and possessing child exploitation material,'' Ms Baumeler, reading Muirhead's letter, said.

"Words can't describe how embarrassed and ashamed I am.

"I'd like the court to know that I take full responsibility for my actions and accept the consequences.

"What I did was shameful, reckless and stupid.

"I have spent the last two years going over it in my mind, night and day, and I doubt I will ever stop feeling ashamed.''

The former Collectors host said he had let down "people who invited me into their homes each Friday night''.

Ms Baumeler told the court the pressure of hosting the television show and the 4am starts associated with the breakfast radio show he also presented had left Muirhead isolated socially.

She said Muirhead had also suffered a relationship breakup at the time of his offending.

Muirhead has been largely unemployed since taking unpaid leave from the ABC, and his contract was not renewed after his arrest in 2010, Ms Baumeler said.

Ms Baumeler asked Chief Justice Ewan Crawford for a suspended sentence as Muirhead had the support of friends, family and a partner he had met since the charges were laid to help with his rehabilitation.

The court has been told that Muirhead used peer-to-peer software to access more than 12,000 picture files and 24 videos.

Prosecutor Maitland Lincoln said Muirhead had changed software after reading articles about a child pornography ring busted by police in May 2010.

The ages of children depicted ranged from three to 14 and at least 60 were in the worst category, showing the explicit or sadistic treatment of children.

Muirhead looked down as graphic examples of the images and videos were played to the court.

He had previously pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Family and friends left without commenting.