A MAN who had "a predilection towards young boys" has been jailed for two years for downloading more than 10,000 indecent images of children from the internet.

Police seized Michael Lord's computer equipment after raiding his home in Ryelands Road, Leominster.

Two of the images were the worst category of child porn which encompasses bestiality or violence, prosecutor Julia Sparrow told Worcester Crown Court.

Lord had served four previous jail sentences for attacks on children.

Miss Sparrow asked for a 22-hour daily curfew on Lord following his release from prison.

But her request was turned down by Recorder Robert Juckes QC after Lord's barrister Samantha Powis argued it was a breach of his human rights which would make him a prisoner in his own home.

The recorder ordered Lord's prison licence on his release to be extended to eight years when he would be under the supervision of the probation service.

He also passed a 20-year restraining order which forbids Lord from having any contact with people under 18. Any breach means he is liable for up to five years' jail.

The recorder told Lord that, although he had downloaded a large quantity of indecent material, he had not paid for it or distributed it to others.

But his abuse of children had been persistent since 1989 when he was given six months for gross indecency with a child.

In 1992 Lord got 12 months for indecent assault on a boy under 14 and taking indecent photographs of children.

In 1994 he was jailed for two years for gross indecency and indecent assault on a boy under 16. And in 1997 he got six years for five counts of indecent assault on boys under 14.

Miss Sparrow said: "The gravity of the case is that he has a predilection towards young boys. The prosecution considers he is a very serious risk to the public."

Lord pleaded guilty to 15 specimen offences of making indecent images of children and one of possession of indecent photographs. He was arrested on September 18.

Miss Powis said he downloaded material from a free site and did not put money into the hands of those who took the photographs.

He became interested in computers during his last prison sentence and viewed the material because it was available.

Lord had been on the sex offenders' treatment programme four times and accepted he had serious problems.