Bachelor paid family for underage sex pics

A lonely bachelor tried to bring his sex fantasies to life by paying the family of an underage girl in the Philippines to pose in front of the camera specially for him.

Stephen Rees (62) had become obsessed by looking at indecent pictures of young girls on the "dark web" and almost 20,000 images were found downloaded onto a laptop and other devices after police executed a search warrant at his Chadderton home.

Manchester's Minshull Street Crown Court was told that Rees, who lives with his older brother, and had never had a relationship outside his family, decided to go a step further however.

Links were found with internet chat forums and two specific images were found of a 14-year old girl showing her breasts and pubic area, and of her wearing a body stocking which he had posted to her.

Computer experts also found links with a second young girl in which Rees brought up the subject of her wearing sexy clothing.

Duncan Wilcock prosecuting, said that it appeared Rees had negotiated a payment with the mother of the first youngster for her to pose for him.

The links were revealed after computer equipment was seized at his home on Burnley Lane, Chadderton in early August, 2013, following tip-offs about his internet activity.

Sentencing him, Judge Angela Nield told him he deserved an immediate prison sentence, but she felt able to suspend it so that he could receive help and support which would not be available in jail.

She said: "The internet has many positive qualities, but the 'dark web' means that the world has shrunk and it is possible to access material at the click of a switch.

"This is not victim-less crime however. These are real young people who are being exploited."

The court had been told that interrogation of Rees's computer equipment uncovered 1,116 Class A indecent images of young girls, 2,582 Class B images, and 16,209 less serious Class C pictures.

Michael Knowles defending, said the lengthy delay between his arrest almost three years ago and his appearance in court, due to the complexity of the case and the time taken to analyse the computer equipment, had been a partial punishment in itself as Rees had had the pending proceedings hanging over his head.

He said his client had had "a fairly isolated existence, particularly after retiring from work.

He said Rees had now realised how wrong his actions had been, and there had been no re-offending since 2013.

Rees who pleaded guilty to two counts of inciting a child to take part in sexual activity, two counts of making indecent pictures of a child, and two counts of possessing indecent images of a child, was given a total prison sentence of 10 months, suspended for two years.

He will have to take part in a sex offenders programme, and be subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.