A 54-YEAR-OLD man downloaded more than 1,000 indecent images of children.

He admitted that between December 27, 2019, and March 9 last year, at his then home in Main Street, Crosshill, he downloaded indecent photographs of children.

Robert Ward, of Alma Street, Inverkeithing, appeared in the dock at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court.

Depute fiscal Claire Bremner said Ward was at home with his family when the house was visited by police with a search warrant.

He said: “I’ve been f****** stupid” and admitted: “I’ve been looking at websites.”

When his wife asked him what he meant, he said: “I’ve been looking at things I shouldn’t have.”

He admitted to police he had been searching for images of teen models when he was feeling depressed, two or three times a week, added the depute.

He said he had become “infatuated” with one particular girl who was aged around 14 to 16. He claimed he was not aroused by the images but his interest was more “an appreciation of her beauty”.

However. he admitted: “I’m fighting demons” and said he was “disgusted” by his actions.

His computer was found to have 1,033 indecent images of children aged between six and 15.

Sheriff Jamie Gilchrist called for reports and Ward will be sentenced on July 20. He was put on the sex offenders' register with immediate effect.