A SWANSEA man caught with almost 2,500 child porn pictures has admitted becoming "fixated" with such images.

Derrick Clive Williams was arrested after detectives raided his home in Bay View Crescent, Brynmill, and seized his laptop, a court was told.

This led to the discovery of 2,445 indecent images of children which had been downloaded and stored by Williams during 2007 and 2008.

There were also four indecent movies involving youngsters, Ieuan Rees, prosecuting, told Swansea Crown Court.

Williams admitted 13 charges of making and possessing indecent images of children when he appeared before Judge Christopher Vosper QC.

The vast majority of these were level one pictures in the lowest category of seriousness (level five being the highest). But three others were in higher categories, the court heard.

David Singh, in mitigation, said that, in an interview with the probation service, 48-year-old Williams had admitted becoming "fixated" with indecent images of young girls.

"He bitterly regrets his behaviour and accepts he needs professional help in dealing with the problem," said the defence lawyer.

Mr Singh emphasised there was no suggestion that his client had been involved in distributing such images to other people. He also revealed that since last September the defendant has been at Cefn Coed Hospital, suffering from depression.

"He has the support of his family, added Mr Singh. "Relatives have been visiting him at the hospital and are aware of these court proceedings."

Sentencing, Judge Vosper directed that Williams must maintain regular contact with probation officers during a three-year community order.

Williams would also have to be registered as a sex offender until 2015, he said.