Magistrate Ian von Einem indicated he would imprison Linton John Milne, 29, of Logans Beach Road, Warrnambool, for at least 12 months this Friday.

Warrnambool Magistrates Court heard Milne had collected 38,900 child pornographic images and about 60 hours of video footage.

After viewing a sample of the material Mr von Einem said it was difficult to think how the victims would ever recover.

"It must send shivers up the back of every parent," he said.

Mr von Einem remanded Milne in custody until sentencing on Friday and warned he intended to set a parole period.

To do so the magistrate must sentence Milne to at least 12 months in prison, part of which could involve the defendant being on parole.

Milne yesterday pleaded guilty to possessing and producing child pornography.

The producing charge related to downloading the images onto a disc.

On May 6 this year Warrnambool police went to Milne's home where they found 22,000 child pornography images on a computer, 16,900 images on a disc and 60 hours of movie footage.

The court heard Milne had been downloading images since 2002 when he used his father's credit card to buy child pornography.

In August last year Austrian authorities passed on information to Australian police after an international investigation.

Milne had previously been mentioned by international authorities but no action had been taken.

During a Warrnambool police interview after child pornography was seized, Milne admitted to possessing and downloading material.

Detective Senior Constable Matt Laxton, of the Warrnambool Criminal Investigation Unit, said the images and footage involved girls as young as two years old.

He said the only material that could be worse was death "snuff" movies or footage of serious physical injuries.

Detective Senior Constable Laxton said a dog was also involved with a female in the material which he described as graphic and explicit.