AN engineer who accessed explicit images of child abuse for his own “morbid curiosity” has been told to attend a rehabilitation course.

Charles Trowers, 65, had saved links to websites which showed the abuse on his computer although he did not download any of the pictures.

Salisbury Crown Court heard he had accessed nearly 200 images including nine of the most serious Category A pictures.

Trowers, of Cherrytree Avenue, Tidworth, admitted the charges on the grounds he had not viewed them for sexual gratification and had not intentionally saved them.

He claimed the images were accessed after he had a heart attack which brought back repressed memories of being sexually abused as a child.

The court heard up until now he had led a “blameless” life and had no previous convictions.

Judge Richard Parkes sentenced him to 30 weeks in prison, suspended for 18 months, and told him to attend a Maps for Change Programme. He was also given a sexual harm prevention order and told to pay costs of £2,000.