A TEENAGER who stored and distributed vile indecent images of toddlers has avoided spending time in custody.

When police officers seized Aaron Kimber's computer equipment, 384 moving and still images were recovered, including a number in the worst possible category.

Kevin Jones, prosecuting, told Wolverhampton Crown Court that Kimber had images stored away in a hidden file and he had also distributed 84 images to 39 different users.

Christopher O'Gorman, defending, told the court Kimber was a young man with difficulties but he knew what he was doing was wrong.

He said the 19-year-old had realised the damage he was doing by possessing and distributing the images and also the consequences to the young victims.

It was sad, said Mr O'Gorman, that he "felt at home" in the group of people who were looking at the indecent images.

Kimber, of Bean Road, Dudley, admitted five charges of making indecent images of children and five of distributing the pornographic images.

He was given a 12 month jail term, suspended for two years, with a condition he attends the sex offenders treatment programme.

Judge Peter Barrie also made him the subject of a 10 year sexual harm protection order and told him he must register as a sex offender for the next five years.

The judge told Kimber it was more important for him to receive support to ensure he did not commit the same offences again in the future.

"You have done things that were very wrong and harmful and you must never do it again," he said.

"Passing on the images to others is particularly serious. You need to learn a lesson from this. You must never behave in this way again."