A SHEFFIELD school librarian who got "cheap thrills" from looking at internet porn was caught with more than 420 images of child abuse on his computer, a court heard.
Marc Badham, aged 43, was caught in November when his home was searched during a major police operation called Typhoon.
Derby Crown Court heard officers found 422 indecent images on his computer, 26 of them in category four and two in category five - the most serious level.
Vee Monro, prosecuting, said Badham had told police during interview that he got "cheap thrills" from viewing pornography on the internet.
Jessica Strange, defending, said Badham, a school librarian for more than 20 years, is now a cleaner at a Tesco warehouse.
She said Badham, of Hady Lane, Chesterfield, did not download the images, but instead viewed them and deleted them.
She added: "There is no suggestion he ever tried to save any of the images. It is something he did on his own and is thoroughly ashamed of."
Handing Badham a three-year community order Judge David Pugsley said: "You do not walk free. Your career is ended, your pension is highly compromised and your self-esteem is shattered. I don't think you will ever know why a man of your intellect and ability descended to this. It is a total mystery."
Badham admitted possessing indecent images of children.
Badham was also made the subject of a five-year sexual offences prevention order, disqualified from working with children for the same period and placed on the sex offenders register for five years.
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