A HAVERFORDWEST man has been told to “stop pulling the wool over your eyes” by pretending to himself and others he doesn’t have a sexual interest in children.

The warning was delivered as Scott Thomas was sentenced for possessing 98 indecent images of children on his iPad.

Sixteen of the images were classed as Category A, the most extreme kind.

Swansea Crown Court heard that police swooped on an address in Tenby in June last year following intelligence that a computer at the property was being used to download images from a Russian website.

Officers found a woman at the address who said Thomas only lived there at weekends, and directed them to a property in North Road, Haverfordwest.

Officers seized a number of items from the address including an iPad on which they found 98 indecent images, 16 of Category A, 16 of Category B and 66 of Category C. Francis Jones, for the prosecution, said Thomas initially denied intentionally downloading the pictures, saying they must got on his computer by accident.

Thirty-nine-year-old Thomas had previously pleaded guilty to possessing indecent images when he appeared via video-link from Parc Prison for sentencing.

The court heard Thomas was “embarrassed” about what was happening to him.

His Honour Judge Keith Thomas QC said it would be better for the public, and for the defendant, if he were given a community order where his “problem” could be addressed rather being given what would be a relatively short prison sentence.

His Honour The judge said: “The images involved here show real children being abused in unspeakable ways in order to make money for people in other parts of the world and to give men like you a sexual thrill.

“You need to stop pulling the wool over people’s eyes that you don’t have a sexual interest in children – that includes you.

“Unless and until you come to terms with that, your life is going to be a particularly rocky one over the next couple of years.”

The judge sentenced Thomas to a three year community order with intensive supervision, and ordered him to complete a community sex offenders group work programme.

His Honour T The judge also banned Thomas from accessing the internet unless authorised by his community order supervisor.

The judge warned Thomas that if he did not fully co-operate with the order he would send him to prison “for a long time”.