A 74-year-old Sudbury grandfather who downloaded more than 34,000 indecent images and videos of children has been given a suspended prison sentence.

Sentencing Malcolm Kraushaar, Judge David Pugh said: “ Some of the children were as young as two. You are a grandfather and I don’t know how you reconciled viewing images of such young children who can be seen suffering discernible pain and distress with then visiting and playing with your own grandchildren.”

Judge Pugh said Kraushaar had deliberately and systematically searched for the material but he accepted that not all the images were unique.

He said Kraushaar, who has cognitive impairment issues, had had gradually come to realise he needed assistance in relation to the behaviour that had resulted in him being charged with the offences before the court.

Ipswich Crown Court heard on Tuesday ( March 22) that police went to Kraushaar’s address in May 2020 and seized a number of devices, including a laptop and two hard drives.

A total of 34,000 indecent images of children were found on the devices as well as 98 indecent videos of children, said Benedict Peers, prosecuting.

Kraushaar, of Mount View, York Road, Sudbury, admitted three offences of making indecent images and videos of children over a period of five years and possessing prohibited images of children.

In addition to being given a 12-month prison sentence suspended for two years, he was made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years and ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register for the same period.

He was also ordered to attend a sex offenders’ treatment programme and given a rehabilitation activity requirement of up to 20 days.

He was also ordered to pay £1,500 costs.

Christopher Harding, for Kraushaar, said although more than 34,000 indecent images and videos were found on the devices, there were only 120 indecent unique images and 44 videos in the most serious level A category, 71 unique images and 45 videos in category B and more than 12,000 unique images in the lowest level C category.

He said his client, who has no previous convictions, had some compulsive behaviour traits and was determined not to reoffend.