Bradley Sedgeman, aged 25, downloaded 25 pictures from the internet while living with his parents, Plymouth Crown Court heard.
He told police who searched his home that he knew he had a problem which “had got out of control”.
His barrister told a judge that he had contacted a help group before his arrest, though he had not deleted the images.
Ali Rafati added that the shop worker had been supported by his family and his employers in the two years since the offence.
Handing him a long community order with sex offender treatment, Recorder Robert Bright said that he accepted Sedgeman had stopped downloading images before the police visit.
The judge said that internet search terms on his laptop showed he had hunted the images.
He had 25 pictures in total, including ten in the most severe category, showing children being raped by adults.
Katie Churcher, for the Crown Prosecution Service, said police traced indecent images to an IP address at the home Sedgeman was then sharing with his parents.
Officers searched his home on September 12, 2018 and the defendant immediately handed over his devices and said that he was the one to blame.
Miss Churcher added: “He said in police interview that he had a problem which had got out of control. He said that it had started by him accessing legitimate sites and he had became curious and followed links to other sites.
“He told police officers he was very sorry and that he wanted help to address his problems.”
Mr Rafati said there was an element of punishment in having to wait two years to be sentenced.
Sedgeman was handed a three-year community order with sex offender treatment.
He was handed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order which will allow police to monitor his internet use for five years and must sign the Sex Offender Register for the same period.
Stay connected to UKNIP via Google News
ENJOYED THIS STORY? Choose UKNIP as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.
More from Plymouth Crown Court
View all Plymouth Crown Court coverage
- Plymouth Man Busted with Drugs and Deadly Weapons
- Two More Arrests in Drew Perham Murder Case
- Fourth Arrest Made in Drew Perham Murder Probe
- Violent Offender Locked Up for Nearly Four Years After Brutal Attacks
- Plymouth Man Jailed for Life Over Brutal Murder of Partner
- Plymouth Man in Court Over Chilling Double Strangulation of 82-Year-Old
More from Plymouth Crown Court
View all Plymouth Crown Court coverage
- Plymouth Man Busted with Drugs and Deadly Weapons
- Two More Arrests in Drew Perham Murder Case
- Fourth Arrest Made in Drew Perham Murder Probe
- Violent Offender Locked Up for Nearly Four Years After Brutal Attacks
- Plymouth Man Jailed for Life Over Brutal Murder of Partner
- Plymouth Man in Court Over Chilling Double Strangulation of 82-Year-Old
