A teenager who downloaded masses of horrific pornography involving children and animals has been spared jail - despite a judge rejecting his claim it had been "research" for a school project about sex.

Dilruk Dias-Banbaranayake, 18, was found guilty last month of storing hundreds of vile images and videos - including one that showed sexual activity between a dog and young girl - on his online Dropbox account after becoming "addicted" to a sickening website.

At his trial the Selsdon teenager - who first downloaded the material in February 2014, when he was just 15 - claimed "complete strangers" had sent him the footage unsolicited through a mobile chat app.

But at his sentencing hearing today at Croydon Youth Court, he told District Judge Andrew Sweet that he had looked at sick images for a school project about "human reproduction" – and not to gain sexual pleasure.

RELATED: 'Tech-savvy' South Croydon teenager Dilruk Dias-Banbaranayake facing jail for possessing hundreds of child and animal porn images on Dropbox

Judge Sweet replied: "I'm not sure I believe you... [I do] not imagine the sites producing this material was producing material about human reproduction."

Despite this, the judge chose to spare the Kingston College student a custodial sentence for the"unsettling offences" and instead handed down a rehabilitation order and 150 hours of unpaid work.

Before his sentencing, Dias-Banbaranayake, of Addington Road, told Judge Sweet: "It started off as research and I just got addicted with that site. It wasn't just those images, it did have other stuff."

The former Wimbledon College student had claimed during his trial that he had "no use" for the 482 images and videos - including of child rape - and "did not feel any pleasure" out of viewing them.

But it emerged that he had already been convicted for distributing child pornography after he later "got curious" about the footage he had seen.

In mitigation, Dias-Banbaranayake's lawyer Voratida Sangchant said the teenager was "fully ashamed of what he did" and accepted "that his behaviour was not simply illegal, but wrong for so many reasons".

She added: "He realises now the harm done to society, fuelling the demand for these images."

The lawyer revealed Dias-Banbaranayake had been expelled from Kingston College since his crimes were made public last month, although read from a statement from a teacher at the school that described the student as "well-behaved" and a "pleasure to teach".

RELATED: Selsdon teenager and Kingston College student Dilruk Dias-Banbaranayake, 18, downloaded into child pornography 'because he was curious'

Referring to the material found on Dias-Banbaranayake's Dropbox account, Ms Sangchant said: "The images popped up and it's simply juvenile and puerile fascination that makes him go back, rather than actual attraction with any of the images.

"Part of the motivation was to discuss these things with his peers at school."

Images of an adult woman having sex with a dog and naked teenage boys taking selfies in front of the mirror were also among the reams of vile material found on the account following an investigation by the National Crime Agency and the Metropolitan Police.

As Dias-Banbaranayake's distressed parents watched from the public gallery, Ms Sangchant said they had received "certain comments" since their son's crimes were made public.

The teenager felt he "deserved" the public shame for what he done, Ms Sangchant said, but was "sorry his family had to be impacted like this" and had made an "active effort to turn away from" viewing such disturbing material.

A pre-sentencing report had concluded the teenager was not a risk to young boys or girls, and his lawyer said he had "reinvented himself" since the time of the offences.

Judge Sweet told Dias-Banbaranayake the 18-month rehabilitation order would be administered by staff "very well qualified to deal with people like you,"and said his decision not to impose a custodial sentence had been influenced by the teenager's early confession in an initial police interview.

After hearing that the student had chosen to plead not guilty based on legal advice, the judge said: "You would have been advised to have pleaded guilty at the first opportunity."

Dias-Banbaranayake was also ordered to attended a youth sex offences program for up to 60 days and pay £250 in costs, as well as a £15 victim surcharge.

He was found guilty last month of 12 counts of possessing extreme or indecent material and placed on the Sex Offenders Register.

Before leaving the court, Judge Sweet thanked Dias-Banbaranayake’ tearful parents for attending the sentencing.

He added: "I can't imagine how difficult it has been for you."

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