A registered sex offender, who sidestepped a court order by having a host of electronic devices he hadn’t declared to police, has been spared immediate prison.
Steven Singleton, 63, was first sentenced by magistrates in 2014 for 11 offences which related to indecent images of children and extreme pornography, Carlisle Crown Court heard.
His punishment included the imposition of a sexual offences prevention order aimed at curbing online crimes.
It placed a legal obligation on him to declare internet capable devices, and make them available to police for installation of motoring software.
But Singleton was found to have flouted the order after police paid a routine visit to his home on May 10 last year.
After they recovered devices including laptops, an iPhone, iPad, tablet and firesticks, Singleton, of The Green, Levens, near Kendal, admitted breaching the order.
Richard Bennett, defending, said there had been no illegal or prohibited images on any of the devices, one of which had been fitted with the approved software.
Unemployed Singleton had previously completed a sex offender treatment course and, in 2017, was assessed by the probation service as posing a low risk of reoffending.
“He told police in interview he is a hoarder, particularly with computer equipment which he likes to build,” said Mr Bennett.
“His misguided thought was that police would take the devices from him and in effect destroy his hobby and, to use his words, his life.”
All of the devices had been in his possession for a number of years.
Judge David Swinnerton suspended an eight-month jail term for two years and ordered Singleton to undergo further probation service rehabilitation.
He will be deprived of the seized devices.
“You must comply to the letter with the terms of the order,” Judge Swinnerton reminded him.
