A 58-year-old teacher quit his job at a private school in Worcester after police found child porn pictures on his computer.

Alan Millington, of Abberley Drive, Droitwich, was also found to have Google searched for “schoolgirl fakes” and “Hermione fakes”, Gareth Walters, prosecuting, told Worcester Crown Court.

Millington worked at RGS Worcester for 35 years but was suspended in January this year and later resigned.

Mr Walters said police took away two computer towers from Millington’s home on September 17 last year. They found six indecent pictures of children at level one, the least serious, and four at level four.

Millington told police he surfed the net regularly at night because he suffered from insomnia.

Millington, who taught biology, admitted having the pictures earlier this month.

He was given a community order with supervision for 36 months and will also have to complete a sex offenders group work programme within that time.

He also has to sign the sex offenders register for five years.

Barry Newton, defending, said stress at work had caused Millington to suffer from depression early last year which led to his insomnia.

“There is a stigma attached to this sort of offending that he will have to live with,” he said. “People who have known him for many years have been startled by what has happened.”

The judge, Recorder David Mason, QC, said it was “a personal tragedy” which had caused Millington to lose his job at the age of 58 and he will never be able to work with children again.

Millington, who is now living off his savings, also has to pay £746 court costs within 28 days.