A SCHOOL bus driver has admitted possessing hundreds of indecent images of children.

Dean Haddon, of Downsview, Sandown, pleaded guilty to distributing two category C images via Skype and possessing 51 category A images — the most serious type — and a further 56 category B and 637 category C indecent images of a child.

The 50-year-old was also caught with 581 extreme pornographic images and 56 prohibited images of children that contained a ‘pornographic overture’.

Haddon was sentenced at the IW Crown Court, which heard the images were of young children, babies and toddlers.

Prosecuting, Adam Norris explained the bus driver’s laptop and phone had been seized and ‘forensically viewed’ by police after they were alerted an IP address linked to Haddon’s home had been downloading illegal images.

When police attended his address he offered a guarded admission and was arrested.

Mr Norris said: “There were all sorts of indecent Google searches that had search terms that were surely looking for indecent photographs.”

For Haddon, Gerry Mohabir said his client had been thrown into a ‘mire’ after a recent shock skin cancer diagnosis.

He also said his client had moved to the Island to escape a life of crime in Southend-on-Sea and suffered from a skin condition that covered 80 per

cent of his body in a rash.

Mr Mohabir said: “He was looking for cures for skin issues, a lot of them involved babies and nappy rash. He found himself going deeper and deeper into a foxhole. He knew it was wrong, but he couldn’t stop himself.”

He said in the 13 months since the offences took place, his client had gone to various agencies looking for help, and was determined to ‘get to the bottom of why this has happened’.

He added he had tried to get himself involved with child sexual abuse prevention campaign Stop it Now! and tried to get Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, but had difficulty securing funding.

Mr Mohabir concluded: “He hates himself and he knows it is wrong.”

Recorder Anna Midgley sentenced Haddon to 15 months in custody, suspended for two years.

A sexual harm prevention order was made and she ordered he pay £140 in costs and attend 50 rehabilitation days.

His laptop and phone will be destroyed and he received a 25 per cent reduction in sentence for an early guilty plea.

A spokeswoman for Southern Vectis said: “Dean is no longer employed by Southern Vectis and hasn’t been for the last 18 months.”