A WEST Cumbrian man who secretly downloaded hundreds of child abuse images was told his offending warrants a jail sentence.

But a Carlisle Crown Court judge drew back from that option for 30-year-old Steven Hannay after being told that he was 'brutally frank' about his sexual interests when he was interviewed by a probation officers.

The defendant, now living in Workington but formerly of Cockermouth, admitted downloading more than 300 illegal images: 73 Category A pictures (the most serious kind); 46 Category B images, and 216 Category C images.

Police discovered the offending when, acting on intelligence received, they visited the defendant’s then home in Cockermouth. They found the illegal images on devices owned by Hannay.

A further two Category C images were also found.

Judge Andrew Jefferies said offending such as that committed by the defendant 'screamed out' for a prison sentence.

But his frankness suggested that he could be worked with to 'control his paedophilic interests.'

Though the offences deserved jail, a three year community order would allow the defendant to undergo 'intensive' rehabilitation work which would ultimately better protect the public, said the judge.

Judge Jefferies told the defendant, whose address was given as Devonshire Street, Workington: “Without doubt, your interest in this material means you should be in prison.

“That’s a given. But my duty is not just punishment for offending; it’s protection of the public going forward.

“Though some people may think you have made your position worse by your frankness with the author of the pre-sentence report, I think the opposite.”

A three-year community order focused on rehabilitation would not be a soft sentence, warned the judge.

Judge Jefferies imposed that order, specifying that it will include 15 rehabilitation activity days and 'accredited programme' of work to address the defendant’s interest in children. The sentence will also include a 120 day tagged alcohol monitoring requirement.

Hannay will have to be on the Sex Offender Register for the next five years and a sexual harm prevention order, controlling his use of the internet, will be in place for the same period, said the judge.

Ultimately, said the judge, people who commit such crimes either accept the available professional help that will stop them reoffending, or they have to be locked up.