A THORNWELL man has been given a community order after pleading guilty to possessing indecent images of children and an extreme pornographic image of an animal.

Charlie Thomas Ward, who is 26 years old and of Sharps Way, appeared at Newport Magistrates Court in November where he pleaded guilty to possessing a total of 42 indecent images, five of which were of the most serious category involving a child of between three and five years old. He also pleaded guilty to possessing a pornographic image involving a horse.

Two laptops and a mobile phone were seized by police after an investigation began in January 2014. The images, all of which involved girls under the age of 16, were found on a red Acer laptop.

Ward pleaded guilty after initially denying the charges.

Defending, Nigel Fryer described how Ward was “deeply ashamed” and “visibly upset,” and argued that the defendant’s “stable home life” and job would be lost in the event of a custodial sentence. With this in mind, it was suggested that it would be more beneficial for Ward to work with the probation service.

Judge Philip Richards agreed, giving Ward a three year community order along with ordering him to pay £340 costs and a £60 victim surcharge.

Ward is also to be enrolled in a specialised internet sexual offenders programme as part of a sexual harm prevention order.

Sentencing, Judge Richards said: “You must realise that the non-imprisonable order I have made is a one off.

“If you return to this activity you will be leaving this court through a different door.”