A HALESOWEN man caught with over 900 sickening indecent images of children has avoided being

sent straight to prison.

Judge Simon Ward told Daniel Lea the images showed real children being seriously abused adding: "You are the

market and if there were no people like you there would be no point in taking these pictures."

He ruled it was more important for 48-year-old Lea to attend rehabilitation sessions to resolve his issues rather than have to

spend a short time behind bars.

The judge said a previous sexual offence committed by Lea in 1992 indicated that for a long time there had been

issues in his life as he stressed, "These need to be addressed."

Lea, of Hagley Road, admitted three charges of making indecent photographs of children and he was given an eight

month jail term suspended for two years.

He made it a condition of the sentence he attends the rehabilitation course as he further made him the subject of

a 10 year Sexual Harm Protection Order.

John Evans, prosecuting, said police officers went to the home of Lea and recovered 57 indecent images in

category A - the worst category - 145 in category B and a further 719 in category C.

When first questioned after his arrest Lea told the officers he had come across the images while searching for

adult pornography.

When his computer equipment was checked it revealed he had made searches for the indecent images of children

but, added Mr Evans, there was no evidence of distribution.

Mukhtar Hussain, defending Lea, who was also told he must register as a sex offender for five years, said he was

full of remorse and shame for his actions.

He told Wolverhampton Crown Court that Lea had gone through a patch in his life where he was "isolated" and that

was when he began looking at the images.

Mr Mukhtar said: "He clearly does need assistance and help," and maintained a course of rehabilitation would get his

client's life back on the rails.