A pensioner has been given a suspended sentence after accessing more than 50,000 child abuse images.

Michael Aitken from Poplar made available more than 840 child abuse files between November 23 and 25, 2017 for others to download.

He was caught after National Crime Agency (NCA) officers traced an IP address to the 67-year old's home where he lived alone.

They recovered 22 devices including three hard drives, a laptop and desktop computer.

He was arrested in March 2018 but when interviewed provided no comment responses. He was charged with three counts of making indecent images of children.

NCA operations manager Jason Booth said: "Offenders like Aitken who build up vast child abuse catalogues and make images available to other criminals are fuelling the problem and endangering children.

"There is an undeniable link between offenders looking at abuse images and going on to commit actual contact child sexual abuse."

After admitting the crimes, Aitken was sentenced to 10 months in jail suspended for two years, put on the sex offenders register for 10 years and made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order today (October 10) at Snaresbrook Crown Court.

Anyone concerned about their own or someone else's behaviour towards children can call The Lucy Faithfull Foundation on 0808 1000 900.