A MAN who was caught with a haul of indecent images of children and extreme pornography has avoided a custodial sentence.

Over a 10-year period Stanislaw Lenartowicz downloaded hundreds of child abuse images and videos but he told officers he "gained no sexual gratification from children".

Police were alerted to the 65-year-old after intelligence suggested a computer was accessing an online chat site, which was believed was being used to access child pornography.

Officers searched two properties linked to the defendant in 2017. Devices were seized and material was found following a "considerable period of time" to go through the equipment.

He was charged last year and eventually sentenced at Bournemouth Crown Court earlier this month.

Lenartowicz pleaded guilty to three counts of possessing indecent images of children, one count of possessing extreme pornography and one count of possessing a prohibited image of a child.

Tim Bradbury, prosecuting, said police executed a warrant at Lenartowicz's home in Beaconsfield Road, Christchurch, on September 18, 2017.

It had been reported to police that a computer at the address had been used to access online chat site Chatstep.

Mr Bradbury said this platform was of concern to police and it was accessible without having to register or make an account.

The defendant was not at home when police carried out the search warrant and a large number of computer hardware was recovered, including laptops, computer hard-drives and USB sticks.

A subsequent search was carried out at a property where the defendant also lived in Worcester Park, Surrey, and more equipment was seized.

Lenartowicz was arrested and cooperative with police by providing passwords to the devices. He was de-arrested and voluntarily interviewed the following day. The court heard that he told officers he went online to access adult pornography only.

"He found the idea (of child pornography) disgusting and he said he didn't believe there would be an images (of children) on his computer," said Mr Bradbury.

The prosecutor said a number of the seized devices were found to have indecent images of children.

Some of the same images were found on multiple devices, with some still accessible and others deleted.

Mr Bradbury said there were 45 category A images (the most serious), 33 category B images and 1,307 category C images, along with extreme pornography and a prohibited image of a child.

The defendant was interviewed again in January of last year due to what had been found.

Lenartowicz now made admissions, stating he was in the habit of downloading pornography. The court heard he showed remorse for his behaviour, telling police: "If I did it, I did it."

"He denied he had any interest in children or gained any sexual gratification from children," said Mr Bradbury.

The barrister said the case involved possessing and downloading images, not sharing or uploading them.

Mitigating, Edmund Gritt said his client was of previous good character, who was still working.

Judge Stephen Climie said there was a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.

He told the defendant those who view child abuse images are as much a part of the abuse as those who are "inflicting the pain and suffering of the child" and warned him: "You are going to be kept under the courts eye, one way or another, for the next five years."

Lenartowicz was issued with a three-year community order, with a four-month overnight curfew and up to 40 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

He was also issued with a sexual harm prevention order and placed on the sex offenders register for five years.

  • Dorset Police did not hold a custody image of Lenartowicz.