A CHILD sex pervert was discovered when he sold a second hand memory stick containing indecent images of boys for £3 on ebay.

The images of boys, aged 12 and 13, had been deleted, but were found still hidden on it.

Chelmsford Crown Court was told the memory stick was sold for just £3 by Matthew Smith, 33, of Skelter Steps, Kursaal estate, Southend.

However, it was bought by a Mr Braithwaite in Lancashire, a computer security specialist.

At court Smith pleaded guilty to nine counts of making and possessing indecent images.

Stephanie Farrimond, prosecuting, said Smith accepted he downloaded 79 images of boys aged 12-13 engaged in homosexual acts.

The offences were committed between December 31 2005 and August 4, 2007. The memory stick was sold on ebay in July 2007.

Smith was arrested at his previous address in Notley Road, Braintree, and admitted the offences.

He said he had bought the memory stick and downloaded the images from websites before deleting them.

Nicola May, defending, said he would like an opportunity of getting the help “he so clearly needs”.

Judge Peter Fenn told Smith: “You are a man who is severely scarred by earlier experiences in your life.

“I am imposing a sentence to assist you to come to terms with any difficulty you have.”

Smith was given a three-year community order. The judge also placed him on the sex offenders register for five years.