Apensioner was told his behaviour “beggars belief” by a sentencing judge.
The 70-year-old was caught with more than a thousand indecent images of children, some of which included babies and toddlers being raped.
In the dock at Reading Crown Court on Friday, December 2, was Rex Fenemore of The Court, off Park Road in Thatcham.
He was being sentenced after pleading guilty to having 507 images of children in Category A.
He further admitted having 596 images in Category B and 781 images in Category C
Richard Hutchings, prosecuting, said police raided Fenemore’s home on July 20 last year and he immediately told them they would find the images on his electronic devices.
Detectives also found search terms which proved he had actively sought out such extreme material, the court heard.
Mr Hutchings said Fenemore had also engaged in paedophile fantasies with another male online and had sent him photographs of a child.
He added: “Police are dealing with that; this sexual interest [in children] has been going on for some time.
“He denies sexually assaulting any child.”
Fenemore had previously persuaded a judge to postpone sentencing so he could arrange for character references to be produced.
These had not been forthcoming, said Mr Hutchings, who added: “None of the defendant’s family are in court.”
Carl Wheeler, defending, said his client had admitted his guilt at the earliest opportunity and had no previous convictions.
He added that Fenemore had begun by engaging with another male on a sadomasochistic fetish website, adding: “He was submissive to the other man…he would do as he was ordered.”
That progressed to the chats – the contents of which can not be divulged for legal reasons – said Mr Wheeler.
He acknowledged: “I know Your Honour will be deeply concerned by those chats.
“His behaviour was wholly inexcusable and abhorrent, if not worse.”
Nevertheless, he pleaded with the judge to impose a community sentence rather than immediate imprisonment, adding: “He won’t be able to access the [rehabilitation] Horizon programme in prison.”
He also asked the judge to take into account the fact that Fenemore had been the subject of media reports in relation to the case, which had led to him fleeing his home.
Referring to the images of babies and toddlers being raped Judge Amjad Nawaz told Fenemore: “What pleasure anyone can gain from looking at such images I simply cannot understand.”
He reminded him that he had used searched terms to find images of “extreme rape” and added: “You engaged in sexualised electronic conversation dealing with the abuse of children.”
Judge Nawaz said of Fenemore’s behaviour: “It beggars belief.”
The court had heard Fenemore had shown little insight into his offending and had tried to tell people he had no sexual interest in children.
That, said the judge, was “clearly not true”.
Nevertheless, he said, because of Fenemore’s “senior years” and previous good character he would not be going to prison.
Fenemore was sentenced to 16 months imprisonment, suspended for two years.
He was also ordered to complete the Horizon programme, to pay £300 costs and to sign on the Sex Offenders Register.
Finally, Fenemore was made subject to a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order designed to protect children from him in future.
