Whitburn man avoids jail after police raid found sexual images of children on computer

A man who downloaded child abuse images while "blackout drunk" has kept his freedom.

Police found a total of 18 illegal photographs on Alan Burdon's laptop when it was seized during a raid at his home in Whitburn, South Tyneside. Newcastle Crown Court heard two of the images were category A, which is the most serious, two were category B and 14 were category C. The youngsters featured in the photographs were aged between three and 16. Prosecutor Neil Jones told the court: "The defendant was admitting under caution that he was responsible for putting the images on his laptop. "He did say at the time he was blackout drunk." The court heard Burdon "didn't recall" some of what he did. Burdon, 45, of Rosedale Avenue, Seaburn, Sunderland, admitted three charges of making indecent photographs of children. Judge Julie Clemitson sentenced him to a two-year community order with rehabilitation requirements and 120 hours unpaid work. Burdon was told he must sign the sex offenders register and abide by a sexual harm prevention order for five years.