AWARD-winning Kent actor Chris Langham has been jailed for 10 months for downloading indecent photographs of children.

The 58-year-old from Golford, near Cranbrook, bowed his head as Judge Philip Statman told him that without such people as himself willing to pay for such images over the Internet, "those who film these despicable acts and viciously exploit these children would have a much restricted market place."

He added: "You always had a choice which was more than those children had," the judge added. "With a push of a button all of those images could have easily been deleted.

"What this case shows, sadly, is the very dark side of modern-day technology."

Langham was jailed for 10 months concurrent on eight of the offences of making indecent photographs. No separate penalty was imposed for the remaining seven charges, which all related to images of a less serious nature.

The twice-married father-of-five will serve half of his sentence, less 43 days spent in custody on remand.

Judge Statman recommended that upon his release the licensing authorities find a suitable treatment programme for Langham.

Three of Langham's children were in court for the sentencing hearing, together with several other relatives and friends, including the actor Dudley Sutton. Langham, looking weak and frail, waved and blew kisses to them as he was led out of the dock.

He had denied the 15 offences during a three-week long trial in July, but was convicted by a jury of seven men and four women after two-and-a-half hours deliberation.

Langham also denied six offences of indecent assault on an under-age girl and two other offences of a serious sexual nature. He was cleared of all of them.

Sentencing was adjourned until Friday for both psychiatric and probation reports. Judge Statman refused bail at the time as he said the offences relating to images of "level five" status - the highest category - had "well and truly passed" the custody threshold.

During his evidence the recovering alcoholic admitted he downloaded the indecent images, depicting oral, vaginal and anal abuse of young girls, as well as acts of sadism, but claimed he pleaded not guilty because he had no sexual interest in them.

He said he was using the images as research for a character for the BBC comedy series Help in which he played a counsellor.

Langham, who said he "looked into the eyes of the perpetrator" while watching the clips, also explained they were a way of addressing the fact he was abused as an eight-year-old boy.

During his evidence he broke down and wept as he declared he was not a paedophile. He said the children subjected to abuse in the images were his "brothers and sisters in suffering".

He said viewing the clips was like "putting his face in a chainsaw".

The BAFTA-winning actor had also been accused of sexually grooming and abusing a 14-year-old fan who repeatedly watched him perform in the West End show Les Miserables.

It was alleged the twice-married father-of-five took her to expensive restaurants and hotels before eventually having full sexual intercourse with her in a luxury Kensington hotel while she was still under-age.

But he firmly denied all charges relating to her, branding her during his evidence as "sick".