AN AGEING Pembrokeshire pervert caught with a huge stash of child sex images and a paedophile handbook has failed to convince top judges to set him free.

Andrew Durrant, 63, of Pembroke Dock, was jailed for 18 months at Swansea Crown Court on June 25.

He admitted three counts of making indecent photos of a child and one of possession of prohibited images of a child.

He also pleaded guilty to possession of extreme pornographic images and possessing a paedophile manual.

Police searched Durrant's home in June last year and seized computer equipment, Mrs Justice May told London's Appeal Court today (Friday).

A total of 33,061 still and moving images were found, including 335 in the very worst category of obscenity - some depicted children aged just two or three.

Also discovered was a paedophile handbook, including a chapter headed 'sex with kids'.

The judge who jailed him said Durrant had a 'long-standing paedophile inclination and interest'.

The 'scale and nature' of his offending meant only immediate imprisonment could be justified.

Lawyers for Durrant argued his jail term should have been suspended, given his age, previous good character and time he had already served.

But Mrs Justice May said the crown court judge 'was entitled to take the view that appropriate punishment could only be achieved' by an immediate jail term.

Sitting with Mr Justice Stuart-Smith, she pointed to the large quantity of images and the extreme youth of some of those depicted.

His crimes were 'persistent' and there was the 'additional and very worrying offence involving the possession of the paedophile handbook'.

"For these reasons we dismiss the appeal," concluded Mrs Justice May.