Paedophile IT professional caught with 200,000 photos and movies of youngsters as younger as six being raped is spared jail by decide… who mentioned he was doing his ‘greatest’ to ‘change his methods’

An IT expert paedophile caught with almost 200,000 pictures and videos of children as young as six being raped, abused and assaulted has been spared prison.

Stephen Haines, 63, of Tadley, Hampshire, admitted to gathering the cache of indecent images over the course of ten years before his arrest at home in June last year.

These included several of the most serious Category A, saved for images depicting either penetration, bestiality or sadism.

He would ‘score’ each of the images, all of which he found on a forum on the dark web, before ‘cataloging’ them on one of several devices for his ‘future pleasure’, a court heard.

The retiree was an expert in IT and video, having previously worked at firms, among others, specialising in broadcast and on-demand technology, and equipment for film and TV production.

Haines walked free at Winchester Crown Court earlier this month, however, with the judge citing his ‘good character’ – and his attempts to ‘change his ways’.

He was sentenced to 12 months in prison for gathering 182 Category A images, another six months for 333 Category B pictures and a further four months for 171,229 Category C photos.

But all three of his sentences have been suspended for two years and are to run concurrently.

Stephen Haines (pictured), 63, of Tadley, Hampshire, admitted to gathering the cache of indecent images over the course of ten years before his arrest at home in June last year

The retiree (pictured) was an expert in IT and video, having previously worked at firms, among others, specialising in broadcast and on-demand technology, and equipment for film and TV production

The paedophile must also complete unpaid work and up to 25 hours of rehabilitation. He is also under a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, which will last for ten years.

Police found his stash of photos and videos across several devices seized during a raid on his home on June 8 last year, as reported by the Basingstoke Gazette.

Haines admitted to officers at the time: ‘I am going to confess, I do have images.’

He later pleaded guilty to possessing 171,744 indecent photographs and pseudo-photographs of children in categories A, B and C, including both still and moving images.

Sentencing, Judge Christopher Park KC said: ‘Up until you entered your guilty pleas, you were a person of good character.

‘You looked at an enormous number of images of children being abused, raped and otherwise assaulted. It is certainly a good thing that you have been found out.’

Haines (pictured) walked free at Winchester Crown Court earlier this month, however, with the judge citing his ‘good character’ and his attempts to ‘change his ways’

He noted Haines was doing his ‘best’ to ‘change his ways’ and had paid for his own help since his arrest.

But the judge continued: ‘I note that the images were still and moving. You were cataloguing and scoring the images for your future pleasure. 

‘What you were doing is appallingly wrong.’

Judge Parker concluded: ‘You need to recognise that you cannot behave in this way. If you offend again, you can expect a very long sentence indeed.’