A DUDLEY primary school caretaker caught with thousands of indecent photographs of children, some aged as young as three and four, has been jailed for nine months.

Recorder James Burbidge QC told 61-year-old Tony Hill: “All right thinking members of society would describe these images as vile and disgusting.”

He said it was a serious breach of trust because parents sending their children to Jessons CE Primary School would have been “sick to their stomachs” knowing a man like Hill was working on the premises.

Grandfather Hill, now of no fixed address, admitted 12 charges of making indecent images of children and another of possessing a total of 3,699 images.

Howard Searle, prosecuting, said that as a result of infor mation received, police went to the house where Hill lived – which was attached to the School Street school – and his computer was seized.

He said Hill, a caretaker at the school for 21 years, was in regular contact with the children but stressed none of the indecent images was accessed while he was in the building.

“They were all downloaded when he was inside his home, “ Mr Searle told Wolverhampton Crown Court.

“But some of them were downloaded while he was on a break from his school duties.”

He said that after his arrest, Hill told police officers he had been interested in adult pornography and he had then progressed to pornography involving children.

Hill told the officers he was not aroused by child pornography but said that looking at pictures of “pretty young girls” made him “happy”.

“There is no suggestion he had gone on to target or groom children in the school, although it is a matter of concern that he was working there as the caretaker,” said Mr Searle.

Jas Mann, defending Hill, a man of previous good character, said there was no suggestion at all of any inappropriate conduct towards children at the school.

“His contact with the children was very limited and he is extremely ashamed of what he has done,” added Mr Mann.

“The loss to him is extreme because he has lost his good name, his job and his home.”

The Recorder further disqualified Hill from working with children for the rest of his life and also ordered him to register as a sex offender for seven years.

A spokesman for Dudley Council said: “The employee has been relieved of duties with the school.

“The council and the school treat such matters very seriously and will do their utmost to protect pupils within their care whilst dealing fairly with employees.”