Former ABC personality Andy Muirhead was today sentenced to 10 months' imprisonment for child pornography crimes.

The one-time host of ABC's Collectors stood expressionless as Tasmanian Chief Justice Ewan Crawford said that, although it was not the worst of cases, the court must condemn what Muirhead did.

The 36-year-old was charged with downloading 12,409 picture files and 24 video files, involving about 1930 children.

Mr Justice Crawford rejected a defence claim that Muirhead watched the pornography out of morbid curiosity, but said he was instead sexually excited by it.

Muirhead, who has been held on remand since July 31, was ordered to serve three months on a state charge of possessing child exploitation material, and then seven months in jail on two Commonwealth charges of using a carriage service to access child pornography.

He will be eligible for release after four months of the Commonwealth sentence, and then to be placed on a three-year good behaviour bond, and on the sex offenders' register for five years.

AAP reports: Muirhead's psychologist Dr Janet Baines told the court last month Muirhead was not a paedophile and viewed the material as a result of work stress.

Mr Justice Crawford rejected Muirhead's claim he had no sexual interest in children.

Muirhead apologised for his offences in a letter read by his lawyer, Kim Baumeler, in July.

He was first charged in June 2010 after the Australian Federal Police received information from Interpol.