A PAEDOPHILE who was caught with more than 500 photos and videos of children and babies being sexually abused has dodged a prison sentence.

Tristram Tolmie, 31, collected a horrific stash of images on computer devices at his Renfrew home over a six-year period.

Paisley Sheriff Court heard how he was arrested after a “systematic search” at his house, where a computer hard disk and cyber tower PC were seized.

It was later confirmed that both devices contained indecent images of children.

Tolmie admitted possessing indecent photographs of children between September 2014 and October last year.

He also pleaded guilty to taking indecent photographs or permitting indecent photographs of children to be taken between 2018 and October 2020.

Forensic analysis of Tolmie’s devices found 52 indecent images on the hard disk and 480 more on the PC tower.

These contained Category A, B and C images and movies, some of which involved the abuse of babies aged as young as six months.

When Tolmie appeared in the dock on Friday to learn his fate, defence agent Tony Callahan told the court his client had expressed “shame and remorse.”

Earlier this month, Tolmie was escorted from his home after an angry mob gathered outside.

Police were called to a property in the Dean Park area of Renfrew to deal with the incident.

Mr Callahan told the court: “This has cost him his home, his relationship and his job.

“He has no previous convictions and he knows that he should be punished for this offence.”

Sheriff Tom McCartney imposed a Community Payback Order that will see Tolmie complete 200 hours of unpaid work, telling him it was “a direct alternative to a prison sentence.”

Tolmie was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register for three years and ordered to take part in the Moving Forward, Making Changes programme, which helps sex offenders change their ways.