Telford sex offender caught with almost 5,000 indecent images spared immediate jail term

Damian Cieslik had in his possession 284 category A, 57 category B and 4,620 category C materials which were found by police officers on his computer and mobile phone.

The officers seized the equipment after visiting his rented accommodation, in Greenly Road, Trench, armed with a search warrant on March 3 last year.

Mr John Oates, prosecuting, told Shrewsbury Crown Court that the defendant admitted three offences of making indecent photos, and one offence of possession of prohibited image of a child at a previous hearing.

The court heard that since his arrest Cieslik, a Polish national, had attended counselling courses with internet offending charities including the Lucy Faithful Foundation to tackle his issues.

Mr Brendan Reedy, mitigating, said the defendant, 39, was recently made redundant and was now living out of his car as he had expected to be sent to prison following the hearing.

But Judge Anthony Lowe said that on balance he felt the defendant, who had no previous convictions, would benefit from rehabilitation in the community rather than a halved jail term under the guidelines.

"The problem is that the court needs to strike proper balance balance between reality and the images that you were looking at. Nobody can doubt that there has been real harm," he said.

"These were real children at the end of a camera lens being abused in this horrific way. Some as young as six. Anybody who has such images must be punished.

"You have accepted that you have a sexual interest in children and have taken steps to rectify that."

He sentenced him to 14 months jail suspended for two years. In addition Cieslik, of no fixed abode, must attend 20 rehabilitation activity days, pay £250 costs and the victims' surcharge.

Cieslik has been put on the Sex Offenders' Register and has been made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order both for five years. He must notify West Mercia Police of his new address.