A FIFE man has admitted downloading a “vast quantity” of images of child porno-graphy, some of them showing children as young as two years old.

Peter Frankowski (56) had over 19,000 images—almost 400 of them at the second most serious level—and almost 100 videos.

At Cupar Sheriff Court yesterday, sentence was deferred for background and psychological reports and the HGV driver was placed on the sex offenders register.

Frankowski, whose address was given as Wellesley Road, Methil, pleaded guilty to taking, or permitting to be taken or making, indecent photographs or pseudo- photographs of children.

The offences were committed between September 2007, and March last year, at Crawhill Farm Cottage, Wester Anstruther, in a vehicle parked at Upper Kenley Farm, Boarhills, and in a vehicle parked at Easter Kincaple Farm, by St Andrews.

The court heard the case was a serious one and was uncovered by police, acting on information they had received when they searched Frankowski’s home.

Frankowski’s QC told Sheriff Peter Paterson the father of five had had an interest in adult pornography.

The QC said, “As a result he found himself from time to time coming across child pornography, which he then had an interest in.

“He became somewhat obsessional with this interest.”

Police raided the home Frankowski shared with his wife—from whom he is now separated—while he was at work on March 12.

They took two computers from the living room and another from a bedroom, then traced Frankowski to his workplace in Boarhills and detained him.

He told police he had equipment in his car that he used to view the images he downloaded on his home computer then transferred.

He also admitted he had been viewing child pornography for some considerable time, said procurator fiscal depute David Scott.

Another laptop was found in his car along with other storage items found in a vehicle parked at a farm near St Andrews.

Frankowski’s QC explained that while over 19,000 images were recovered his client had not viewed all of them.

Yet he added, “I’m not suggesting that what we have here is not a serious case of downloading various serious images of children.”

The court heard Frankowski only had contact with one of his children, now adults.

Sheriff Paterson deferred sentence until March 12, and granted Frankowski bail.