Bromsgrove man with 230 indecent images and film of children is spared jail (From Bromsgrove Advertiser)

Bromsgrove man with 230 indecent images and film of children is spared jail

1:10pm Saturday 4th August 2012 in News

A BROMSGROVE man caught with over 230 indecent images and films of children had been spared time behind bars.

Judge Michael Dudley told Ian Thomas, aged 43, of East Road, that the images involved the "terrible exploitation" of children but he ruled it was in the interests of the public for him to receive help and support.

"Once this case came to light you did everything within your power to get assistance for what you did," he told Thomas at Wolverhampton Crown Court.

Thomas of East Road admitted four charges of making indecent images of children and he was placed on Supervision for three years with a condition he attends the Sex Offenders Treatment programme.

He was further told by the Judge he must register as a Sex Offender for five years, he also made him the subject of an unlimited Sex Offenders Protection Order and barred him from ever working with children.

Mr Howard Searle prosecuting said police officers acting on information raided Thomas' former home in Wolverhampton and seized
his computer equipment.

It was then found he had 231 indecent images including one at level four - the second worst category - together with 10 moving
images.

When questioned Thomas told the officers he was interested in girls aged between 10 and 16 but some of the photographs involved children as young as four and six.

He told police he had deleted a number of images because he felt guilty, said Mr Searle, who stressed the pictures were for his personal use and there was no question of distribution.

Miss Amanda Tompkins defending said Thomas had already taken steps to address the behaviour that had cost him his marriage and he now faced losing his employment.

"Life has dramatically changed for him," she told the court. "He recognises there is a problem he needs help for."