A PAEDOPHILE caught with an ‘extreme’ photographic image involving an animal has avoided jail.

Lawrence Fisk, of Wards Stone Park, Bracknell, was sentenced at Reading Crown Court on Wednesday (November 22) for three counts of making indecent photographs/pseudo-photographs of a child, one count of distributing an indecent photograph and one count of possessing an extreme pornographic image.

The 33-year-old pleaded guilty to the offences at the first opportunity after a warrant was issued to search his home on November 25, 2021.

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He was issued a 13-month jail sentence, suspended for 18 months by Judge Amjad Nawaz, who commented: “What gratification anybody may have from these images of young children being subjected to penetrative activity I simply cannot understand.”

During the sentencing, the court heard that the offences happened between December 26, 2011 and November 25, 2021.

On the latter date, Fisk’s home was searched by officers who seized an iPhone, a computer tower, and a drive from that tower.

Police found on the equipment 92 Category A images, 358 Category B images, 1,337 Category C images and one extreme pornographic image involving an animal.

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The age range of the children found in the images was from as young as four years old up to 14 years old.

Defending Fisk, his lawyer said that the self-employed electrician had ‘traumatic’ childhood subsequently from his sister passing away from cystic fibrosis when he was three years old and she was 24 years old.

He said: “The illness very much made for an unhappy childhood for her and was a big of her his family life. It’s contributed towards his depression in his younger years.

“He’s very sorry for what he’s done and since he’s been arrested for these offences he has started taking some positive steps towards changing his life and changing the way manages these feelings of depression.”

The court heard has voluntarily been working with The Lucy Faithfull Foundation, a charity dedicated to preventing child sexual abuse.

Sentencing, Judge Nawaz said: “You started to engage in these activities from a very early age hence the large bracket on the charges from 2011 to 2021. You tried to put an end to it but you have always been drawn back.

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“We can take solace in the fact that you have voluntarily taken part with The Lucy Faithfull Foundation and I keep in mind that this is your first offence.”

He also handed Fisk 30 days of rehabilitation activity, and 100 hours of unpaid work, and made him subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order to last seven years.