A UNIVERSITY student was caught with a paedophile manual and thousands of indecent pictures of children after police raided his family home.

Bolton Crown Court heard how officers seized 13 devices from Yousaf Khurshid's bedroom at Turton Heights at 6.40am on November 16, 2018.

Hugh McKee, prosecuting, said that when police told him the reason for their visit he admitted: "I have been on Tumblr and seen some of these things".

But when four of his devices were examined thousands of indecent pictures of children were found as well as The Jazz Guide, a paedophile manual giving advice about how to abuse very young girls.

A probation report on Khurshid states: "The possession of the manual indicated that Mr Khurshid was in the process of planning to have some kind of sexual contact with very young females."

Mr McKee revealed there were also 3,901 of the most serious Category A images on the devices, 10.061 in Category B and 18,525 in Category C as well as 14 extreme porn images and 796 prohibited images.

"The defendant told police that he'd had a porn addiction for two years and that addiction had been escalating steadily," said Mr McKee.

Khurshid, who lived with his parents and siblings, told police that his girlfriend had split up with him, it was not a good time for him and he had first seen such images while at school in Ireland.

The court heard that Khurshid, aged 29, and now of Ladymeadow Close, Bolton, is of previous good character and he pleaded guilty to downloading and possessing indecent images and a paedophile manual.

Khurshid moved to Bolton with his family in 2017 after originally settling in Cork, Ireland, after leaving Pakistan when he was aged four.

Martin Sharpe, defending, described Khurshid as a "computer nerd — someone who has, historically, lived somewhat of an isolated life."

He added: "Not able to form proper peer groups with other adults, he looks at children as really being on his level.

"He blinded himself to the fact they are obviously victims."

He added that the defendant is aware he needs help to deal with his behaviour.

Kurshid, who has an interest in astronomy, is due to complete his university degree this summer.

"If he were to receive an immediate custodial sentence, all the work he has done towards his degree would count for nothing," said Mr Sharpe.

"If he gets the right help he could play a constructive role in society."

Judge Graeme Smith told Khurshid that any "right thinking person" would be horrified by the images he had been viewing but added that the student was beginning to show signs of understanding and that no meaningful work to address his behaviour could currently be undertaken in prison.

Instead Khurshid was sentenced to 16 months in prison, suspended for two years, will be subject to an 8pm to 7am curfew for six months and must participate in 53 days of rehabilitation activities.

He was also placed on the sex offenders' register and made subject to a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years.