A TROON man admitted possessing indecent images of children on his computer out of concern it could affect his fiance's job as a teacher.
Christopher Williams, 41, appeared at Truro Crown Court on Friday to be sentenced after he had previously admitted to 11 counts of possessing and making indecent images of children.
Police searched the address that Williams, of Fore Street, was living at in Camborne, which belonged to his partner, on January 2 after receiving information about internet activity at the address.
Phillip Lee, for the Crown Prosecution Service, said: "This defendant was her fiancé at that time. He was spoken to about the information and he told the police at that stage that he had downloaded stuff ages ago but he had deleted it."
He was arrested but gave no comment during a formal police interview.
Officers seized computer equipment from the property but later that day they were contacted by Williams who said he wanted to change his statement after talking to his partner and realising the effect his actions could have on her being a teacher and doing her job.
After examining the equipment police found about 150 indecent images of children on it, which had been downloaded between February 16, 2012, and January 1, 2013.
Mr Lee said: "When interviewed by police Mr Williams said that he was responsible for any such images on the devices.
"He said he entered search terms such as 'teen'. He was curious; he downloaded some of those files.
"He said that he found them disgusting and deleted them but he searched and looked at them again."
Joss Ticehurst, for the defence, said Williams was intent on sorting out whatever problems that led to his behaviour and had started a course of treatment with a psychological therapist.
Judge Christopher Harvey Clark, QC, sentenced Williams to four months in prison suspended for two years, ordered that he take part in an internet sex offenders' programme and ordered that he be subject to a sex offenders' prevention order.
He said: "The material is illegal. It involves the exploitation of children, young teenage girls exploited for sexual reasons and you must understand that it is illegal and you should not be looking at it or downloading it on to your machine."