A GOLBORNE man has escaped an immediate prison sentence after indecent images of children were found on his mobile phone when it was sent for repairs.

Stephen Finch, of Manor Court, pleaded guilty to three offences of downloading indecent images of children involving a total of 47 pictures including 20 in the most serious category.

The 44-year-old was given an eight-month prison sentence suspended for two years with 40 days rehabilitation activity at Liverpool Crown Court on Tuesday.

Sentencing him Judge Brian Cummings QC said that Finch claimed his interest was in girls aged 16 and over but some of the images showed children as young as six.

He described him as 'a classic case' of an emotionally isolated middle aged man who had made excuses and tried to minimalise his behaviour.

Judge Cummings told him: “The children here were pre-pubescent. You plainly had this material for your own sexual gratification."

The court heard that Finch took his phone to an O2 shop to be repaired when it stopped working properly.

The shop sent the phone off to be fixed and a technician who worked on it found indecent images of children on it and alerted police.

Finch was arrested and after initially trying to blame others for the images being on the phone he eventually admitted downloading them, said Ken Grant, prosecuting.

He said Finch had engaged in ‘kids chat’ and knew it was wrong to be asking for indecent images of children.

Finch was ordered to sign on the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years and a Sexual Harm Prevention Order was made for the same length of time.