A paedophile who was caught with hundreds of indecent photos of children on his computer has been jailed for 15 months.

Nicholas Green, 32, pleaded guilty to 17 charges of possessing indecent images and three charges of distributing images, after his partner discovered what he had been doing while on a computer at their home in Thirlmere Gardens, Northwood.

Green had 156 photos on the computer graded between level one and four, including an image of a 14-year-old boy having sex with his mother while his 12-year-old sister watched, Harrow Crown Court heard last Wednesday.

Robert Meikle, prosecuting, said: "On April 27 this year the defendant's partner went on the computer she shared with him while he was away at work.

"She noticed he had logged on to an internet site and there was a list of communications between the defendant and another person.

"She examined the details and they disturbed her. One message asked 'have you ever been with a 10-year-old?"

The woman rang her partner who returned home and reported himself to police.

Judge Susan Tapping said: "I have no doubt whatsoever that the children who are the subject of these images have themselves suffered serious abuse and the only reason they suffer this abuse is because people like you can be sexually gratified by looking at these images."

Green, who moved to his parents house in Antoneys Close, Pinner, after he was charged, will no longer be able to work with people aged under 18 and will be on the Sex Offenders Register for the next 10 years.

He will be ineligible for release on parole at the half way stage of his sentence.