Former Hartlepool man told jail is 'only option' following child porn conviction

Michael Best, 32, was found guilty of three counts of making indecent images of children after a trial at Teesside Crown Court last month.

The majority, 21, were in the worst category showing young girls aged between three and eight in “obvious pain and distress”.

One image showed a child being raped, the court heard.

He also had 10 images in the next level of severity – Category B – and eight in the lowest of Category C.

Best, formerly of Hartlepool, denied the offences claiming someone else must have accessed his phone and the images.

But the jury rejected his explanation. Judge Howard Crowson said: “It was an unsurprising conclusion in my view having heard what seemed to me overwhelming evidence that you were the user of the phone.”

Best also tried to delete the images, the court heard.

Brian Russell, defending, said in mitigation that Best’s relationship had come to an end as a result of being found guilty of the offences and he was described as being at a very low ebb.

Judge Crowson said due to the type of offending and Best’s attitude, only immediate prison could be justified.

Best, of Marsh House Avenue, Bilingham, was jailed for 15 months.

He will be on the sex offenders’ register for 10 years and subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order to regulate his behaviour and monitor his use of electronic devices for the same period.