A FORMER Stourbridge headteacher who watched “disgusting” child pornography to relieve stress when his life was in turmoil has been allowed to keep his freedom.

Ross Workman downloaded over 500 sickening indecent photographs and films of children as young as eight, including 88 in the worst category, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told.

Judge James Burbidge QC told the 51-year-old, who was in charge at Oldswinford CofE Primary School at the time of his arrest, that he would never work again in the teaching profession – and one could only wonder what the parents of children at his school felt when they learned his secret.

The judge said Workman, who was suspended after being arrested by detectives from the force’s Online Child Sexual Exploitation Team, was “an intelligent man, a man of good character who many friends described as honest, open, kind and considerate”.

But he added: “You clearly had a secret at some period in your life and that was discovered by the police.”

He said it was “bewildering” why Workman would watch child pornography although he accepted it happened at what was a “low ebb” in his life.

The judge continued: “You began to live in a virtual world. But became an avid consumer of pornography and that moved on to you becoming interested in child pornography.”

Workman had been in a high position of trust - teaching children, the judge said - adding: “But there is no suggestion that you breached that trust by doing anything untoward towards the children.”

Now living in Lowfold Close, Worcester, Workman admitted six charges of making indecent photographs of children and he was made the subject of a three-year community order with the condition that he attends the sex offenders’ programme.

He was also ordered to register as a sex offender for the next five years and to pay £420 costs.

Judith Kenney, defending, said the offences were committed over a two-month period in 2011 when Workman was under a great deal of stress and after the end of a six-year relationship.

Miss Kenney said: “He has paid a high price for something he did a long time ago when his life was in turmoil.”

Nicholas Berry, prosecuting, said police officers went to Workman’s former home in Orwell Close, Stourbridge, after receiving information.

He said officers seized computer equipment and, when interviewed, Workman said he had chatted to other men online in a sexual manner.

He said he was interested in younger men and he accepted the images were illegal but said they had all been deleted. He explained in a very frank way, said Mr Berry, that he went through a phase looking at the images.

Workman said he had a high sex drive and he described how he looked at pornography most days, adding: “ I knew it was not right and I tried to stop.”

He said he used pornography as a “stress reliever” but admitted his sexual interest in boys had seen him cross boundaries and he said he recognised his behaviour had become addictive.

The judge said it was important that Workman had sought counselling himself and he told him: “You have an addiction that needs to be quashed. You’ve lost your job; you’ve paid a very high price but a just price. It would be inappropriate for you to work with children again in the future.”

He said Workman, who hung his head in the dock, was now on the police radar but it was very doubtful he would offend again in the future, having been described as at low risk of ever coming to court again.