A former alcoholic gave up one addiction for another – watching child pornography – a court was told.

When police called at Henry Foley’s flat they found thousands of indecent images on his laptop, and his latest addiction landed him with a jail sentence when he appeared at Llandudno magistrates’ court.

Foley, 59, of Conwy Street, Rhyl, pleaded guilty to three charges of producing indecent photographs between February and April this year.

The court heard that 194 were Category A images, the most serious, 516 were Category B and 4,020 Category C.

David Jones, defending, said that Foley had isolated himself from society and spent his evenings poring over his laptop.

“He accepts he has a sexual interest in teenage children,” he said. “He has to acknowledge that it is not a victimless crime.”

Mr Jones said that Foley had given up drinking some years ago, adding: “Clearly he has exchanged one addiction for another after becoming sober.”

District Judge Gwyn Jones said many people were of the view that only an immediate jail sentence was appropriate for such offences but he took into consideration Foley’s early guilty plea, his willingness to work with the probation ser vice and the fact that he was in full-time employment.

For the Category A and B offences Foley was given 26-week custodial sentences, to run concurrently and suspended for 24 months. There was no separate sentence for the Category C offences.

He must also carry out 180 hours of unpaid work and attend a 45-day rehabilitation programme and a sex offence programme.

He must also register as a sex offender for seven years and not use any computer for the same period.