Today council bosses announced it is reviewing its public IT policy after it emerged Preston paedophile Andrew Galeney used computers in Ribbleton and Harris Libraries to share horrific sexual images of young boys.

The 45-year-old unemployed loner used the council facilities – as well as an internet terminal at Preston train station – to swap vile sex fantasies via e-mail with another paedophile in Canada.

Galeney also used the terminals to share and download thumbnail images including cartoons of young boys in sado-masochist poses.

The offences came to light when the Royal Canadian Police caught a sex offender in Canada and discovered links to Galeney, who confessed to police about his fantasies concerning baby boys.

Det Insp Steve Hobson, of Preston's public protection unit, said: "We brought it to the attention of the county council. He was not actually accessing pornographic sites.

"He was using computers to access quite legitimate chat rooms, but using them to exchange information with other paedophiles. This he would download onto discs which, to all intents and purposes, appeared innocent."

His then home at Beacon Lodge, Ribbleton, was raided by police in front of Crimewatch cameras in January.

He confessed to abusing public computer terminals after officers found he did not have his own computer and earlier this year pleaded guilty to 12 charges of making indecent images, eight of distributing such images and another four of possessing this material.

Galeney is expected to be sentenced at Preston Crown Court on October 6.

It is not the first time he has offended. In 1999 he was found in possession of porn videos and pictures of children as young as five.

He went on probation for two years and was ordered to sign the Sexual Offenders Register for five years.

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