A retired Nottinghamshire school teacher who downloaded thousands of images of child pornography has been jailed for six months.
A judge at Nottingham Crown Court said the court had to deter others and the message had to go out that offenders would go to prison.
Thomas Corbett , 63, of the Baulk in Worksop, pleaded guilty to 16 specimen charges of possessing and making indecent photos of children.
He was arrested after an investigation into a United States company which provided access to websites.
The court heard he had paid $30 for two weeks access and over 5,000 images of child abuse were found on his computer hard drive.
In his defence it was said there had been no cause for concern that children would be at risk during his professional career.
He taught at a secondary school in Worksop.
Judge Richard Pollard said he accepted that Corbett's unhealthy fascination with the material was as a voyeur only.
Corbett was put on the sex offenders register for seven years and banned from working with children for the rest of his life.