A grandfather has been handed a suspended sentence after his wife told police he had been downloading child pornography.

Michael Speller, formerly of Onslow Gardens, Wallington, was “grassed” on by his wife when she discovered the indecent images on his home computer.

Speller, 63, appearing at Croydon Crown Court on Tuesday (January 4), pleaded guilty to seven charges of making obscene pictures and movies of young girls.

Police discovered a total of 444 images and 50 movies, some of which were of a high level of seriousness.

Julius Capon, prosecuting, said: "He had apparently admitted to this sort of behaviour seven years ago. But, on August 20 this year, she checked his computer and found pictures of girls aged about 11.

"There was a struggle between them as they tried to control the computer’s mouse and she told him to get out of the house."

One of the couple’s three sons then joined in the row and he ordered Speller to leave.

Judge Tim Stow Q.C. told Speller: “These offences are very serious. They provide a market for those people who are wicked enough to subject children to sexual acts for publication on the internet and to be seen by people like you.”

Speller, a facilities manager at McDonalds, was given an eight-month sentence, suspended for two years, and he will be on the sex offenders register for 10 years.