Police found 180 indecent stills and movies of children when they seized two laptops from a Watford man.
Vincent West, 27, made an immediate confession to the officers when they arrived at his home Gaddesden Crescent on August 17 last year.
Prosecutor Edward Renvoize told St Albans Crown Court today there were 150 stills and 30 movies.
Some 133 were at level c, the least serious grade, the others were at level a and b, the more serious grades.
West, now living in Bedford, appeared for sentence having pleaded guilty to two charges of making (downloading) and one of possessing indecent images of children before magistrates.
The court heard West's sense of shame had prevented him "opening up" to probation officers about his crime.
Judge John Plumstead made a three year community order with conditions that West is supervised for three years, attends an internet sex offender programme and attends a 40 day rehabilitation programme.
He told him: "If you behave like this again, there will be no question of rehabilitation. You will be locked up."
West must also pay £340 prosecution costs, abide by the terms of a sexual harm prevention order and register as a sex offender for five years.
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