AN ex-nurse who looked at internet child porn for 18 months, blamed his perverted behaviour on drink, a court was told.

Edward Allen, 47, who had previously worked in the profession for 20 years, was found to be in possession of almost 250 disgusting images of youngsters when police raided his then home on Ash Street, Oswaldtwistle, eight months ago, Burnley Crown Court heard.

The hearing was told the defendant told police the pictures included children as young as eight posing sexually and some showed youngsters having intercourse with men.

The defendant, now of Newton Road, Lowton, Leigh, had admitted three counts of possessing an indecent image of a child and had been committed for sentence by Blackburn magistrates.

He was given a three year community order with three years' supervision and an internet sex offenders’ programme, was ordered to sign the sexual offences register for five years and received a five-year sexual offences prevention order, allowing police to monitor his internet use. He had no previous convictions.

MORE TOP STORIES:

Prosecutor Richard Haworth said of the 244 images, there were 24 still photos at category A, 28 still images of category B and the rest were pictures at category C.

On February 7, Blackburn police received a package from the Child Exploitation Online Protection Unit and went to Ash Street, where Allen was living. Officers seized a tower unit and Allen was arrested and interviewed.

He admitted being in possession of and viewing indecent images and blamed a drink problem.

Allen said he would view child porn while drinking and then he would look at other, different images. He described the children as being aged between eight and 13 and indicated he would perform a sex act on himself and visit chat rooms.

Mr Haworth said the unit was examined by the police and the defendant was reinterviewed in June.

The prosecutor added: “The police noted a large number of different children were involved, over a fairly extensive period of 18 months.”

James Heyworth, defending Allen, said: "He had been, for most of his life, alcohol dependent. Since May, he has been clean of alcohol and still attends Alcoholics Anonymous."

The barrister said Allen had been a nurse for 20 years and then ran a gardening business, but was now out of work.