flickr.com/Jayel Aheram

A PRESBYTERIAN minister has been jailed after being caught in one of the biggest child porn stings in Queensland history.

John Caldwell Morrow, 69, from Eagle Heights in the Gold Coast hinterland, was one of 13 men arrested in September last year following a two-month special operation that included tip-offs from German police.

The Brisbane District Court was told on Friday that Morrow was identified as having downloaded a large number of child exploitation images, literature and videos from the internet.

A police raid on his home uncovered more than 170,000 images and videos stored on three computer hard drives.

The court was told the majority of the images featured girls aged between eight and 16 in sexualised poses.

The material also included children as young as three being raped.

The court was told Morrow had kept detailed diaries in 2003 and 2004 that documented his internet accessing history and included addresses for child pornography websites.

Morrow pleaded guilty on Friday to three counts of possessing child exploitation material and one count of using a carriage service to access child pornography.

Judge Michael Noud sentenced him to two and a half years jail, to be released after six months on a good behaviour bond.