A MAN who had scores of illegal child porn images on his laptop has been spared an immediate prison sentence. 

Ian Chambers, 67, was caught out by police officers who raided his South Cumbria home and seized computer equipment. Almost 200 illegal still images were found on a laptop, and 40 indecent movies were recovered from an external hard drive.

Some of the pictures in Chambers' possession were classed in category A - the most serious. A number of the children depicted were estimated to be aged as young as five.

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Chambers admitted 10 counts of making an indecent photograph of a child. The offences were committed between 2005 and 2014.

He was sentenced at Carlisle Crown Court today.

Judge Barbara Forrester gave Chambers an eight-month jail sentence which was suspended for two years. He will undergo 24 months' supervision and complete one-to-one group work.

In addition, Chambers, of Jack Hill, Allithwaite, Grange-over-Sands, must sign the sex offenders' register and is subject to the terms of a sexual harm prevention order for the next 10 years.