A paedophile is awaiting sentencing after a court heard he had filmed young pupils as they walked to and from a Northamptonshire primary school.
Stephen Conroy, aged 53, was found to possess thousands of printed images, DVDs and videos of child pornography after police raided his house in February this year.
As well as finding the pornography, which was plastered all over ceilings and walls of three bedrooms, officers also found children’s underwear and a schoolgirl’s outfit, Northampton Crown Court heard today.
Alex Bull, prosecuting, said Conroy had filmed children coming to and from school using a camcorder.
Ms Bull said: “The defendant’s house was in close proximity to a school which can be seen from an upstairs window and the sound of children can be heard from the house.
“Children also regularly walk past the address to get to school.
“There was a home-made masturbation device by a window which had a view of the street. In regards to the masturbation station, he admitted that is what he used it for,” she added.
Conroy, who lives in Corby, was found to possess more than 30 of the most serious Level 5 child pornography involving children as young as one-year-old.
After being interviewed by police, Conroy said he had initially not realised he was doing anything illegal and had been searching for images of teenagers.
Alex Bull said: “Conroy told officers he thought the children in the images were innocent and beautiful and works of art but probably did not understand what was going on.
“He said he liked children and thought of himself as childlike.”
Conroy told officers he had started looking at child abuse images in 2006 and later searched for “school uniform porn”.
Conroy has pleaded guilty to a series of charges of possessing and making indecent photographs of children as well as possessing extreme pornography.
The sentencing of Conroy has been adjourned for a short period due to the unavailability of certain evidence.