Pornographic images of sex with animals were downloaded on to a school computer hard drive by a teacher, magistrates were told.

Evidence of them was later spotted on IT teacher Stephen Walker’s school’s lap top by a supply teacher at Immanuel College, Thackley, Bradford.

Later, investigators unearthed 20 downloaded videos of adult beastiality.

Walker, of Balmoral Place, Halifax, pleaded guilty yesterday to three charges of possessing extreme pornographic images portraying an act of intercourse/oral sex with a dead/alive animal, on October 8, 2009.

He was sentenced to a 24 months community order and to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work. He was also ordered to pay £85 court costs.

The 35-year-old, who resigned from his job, was prosecuted under new legislation.

Since the investigation began, he had been denied access to his children, the Bench in Bingley was told.

Paul Ramsay, prosecuting, said links to the images came to light on Walker’s emails when he was on holiday.

Details of the downloads were then checked out without his knowledge and later he was asked to bring his laptop from home.

The hard drive was also examined and 20 videos of adult beastiality were discovered “He told investigators that he had downloaded the images out of childish curiosity when he had had a drink,” said Mr Ramsay.

Paul Fitzpatrick, for Walker, said the images were discovered on the hard drive, not on the lap top and there was no danger that children could have seen them.

“He has formerly resigned and the prospect of him working in the field he has been trained for are remote. He must rebuild his life.”

Walker was told by the Bench they accepted he was a man of previous good character and the probation service did not consider he was a risk to the public.

They understood he suffered great personal consequences including the loss of employment, standing in the community and access to his children.