Child pornography
Pennycook was convicted of making and possessing indecent images of children iStock

A Belfast man who had more than 20,000 child abuse images on his computer has been jailed following a joint investigation with Northern Ireland police and the UK's National Crime Agency.

The vast trove of material held by Ramsay Pennycook, 39, of Holywood, Belfast, included items in the "most serious category" for child abuse images, the NCA said Monday (27 November).

Pennycook was sentenced at Downpatrick Crown Court to six months in jail and 18 months on licence.

The internet pervert was ordered to sign the sex offenders register for a total of 10 years and also given a five-year sexual harm prevention order.

Pennycook was convicted of making and possessing indecent images of children, possessing prohibited images of children and a charge of possessing extreme pornography relating to images of bestiality.

"The NCA and PSNI are working together to tackle criminal threats to Northern Ireland, including detecting and putting before the courts those who watch child abuse online," said NCA branch commander Rob Burgess in a statement Monday.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) is responsible for investigating fraud, organised criminal gangs and major cybercrime. It has recently been tackling online chat room paedophilia.

"Pennycook was viewing and sharing material of an extremely disturbing nature, prolonging the abuse of the victims within the images," Burgess added. "His sentence should serve as a warning to like-minded people who think their own activity will go unnoticed or unpunished."

Hacking on computer
Pennycook had more than 20,000 child abuse images on his computer iStock
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