A 47-year-old man with previous indecency convictions involving children was found to have more than 250 images of young boys on his computer hard drive.

Blackburn magistrates heard that Peter Kennedy had served a prison sentence for similar offences last year but had admitted to police that he had since subscribed to two internet child porn sites and had tried unsuccessfully to join a number of others.

Kennedy, of Stonehill Drive, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to two charges of possessing indecent photographs and seven of making indecent photographs.

He was committed in custody to Preston Crown Court for sentence. John Wood, prosecuting, said Kennedy was already subject to a sex offender order which expires in 2007 and will be on the sex offender register until 2012.

Emma Morrissey, defending, said all Kennedy's previous convictions had been for gross indecency and indecent photographs and there had never been any direct contact with children.

"He has exposed himself to these boys or invited them to expose themselves to him but there has been no direct contact," said Miss Morrissey.

"He saw this as the lesser of two evils as it stopped him going out and exposing himself to children in the public arena."

Miss Morrissey said that since his release from prison Kennedy had managed to hold down a job for the last 11 months.