A “dangerous” pervert already on the sex offenders register for downloading child pornography was last night starting a two and half year jail sentence after he was found to have collected of more than 10,000 images of children being abused after trawling the internet.

A dangerous pervert already on the sex offenders register for downloading child pornography was last night starting a two-and-a-half year jail sentence after he was found to have collected more than 10,000 images of children being abused.

The images were discovered after Norfolk police raided the home of Anthony Parsons, having become suspicious that he might be using the internet to access child porn.

This followed a visit to his address at Paston, near Mundesley, for a routine check on him as a registered sex offender, Norwich Crown Court heard.

As well as a large number of images, police found an array of items at

the address including children's underwear and Brownie and school uniforms.

He had also turned his bathroom into a photographic darkroom.

The court was told that police found a number of magazines featuring girls.

Parsons, 55, also had a rope attached to leather straps on the corner of his bedposts.

Andrew Shaw, prosecuting, said there was a collection of press cuttings reporting child abuse cases, and he had a balaclava.

Police also discovered a notebook which contained in harrowing detail an account of the rape of a 20-month-old baby and her seven-year-old sister, the court was told.

In April, 2001, Parsons had been jailed for nine months for downloading child pornography and had been placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years.

Parsons, of Chapel Road, Paston, admitted 24 counts of possessing child pornography.

Judge Paul Downes said he agreed with reports that Parsons posed a serious risk to the public, particularly to young children. He warned him that the court viewed the matter "very seriously".

The judge said: "For images such as these to be produced it means real children have to be abused, and that means a high risk of injury to these children if only psychologically."

He placed Parsons on the sex offenders register for life and banned him from working with children for life.

Judge Downes also made a sexual offences prevention order, under which Parsons is banned from living or having unsupervised contact with children or having any employment that might bring him into contact with children.

Under wide-ranging restrictions he is also banned from owning a computer and from school playgrounds.

And he is banned from possessing any photographic equipment.

On his release from prison he will also be on extended licence for two years.

Matthew McNiff, defending him, said: "There is no evidence of distribution."

He said Parsons was keen to take

part in a sex offender treatment programme but could not start until he had been sentenced by the court.

After the case, Det Sgt Andrew Lovick said he agreed with the judge's comments that Parsons posed a danger.

He added: "We will be watching

him very carefully when he comes out."

Det Sgt Lovick said work by the police public protection unit and the major investigation team had possibly prevented a more serious crime being committed.