Obsessive Hartlepool man put on sex offenders register after taking indecent picture of child and downloading dozens of other images

Arthur Tunnicliffe, 50, downloaded 89 pictures of children from the internet and took a photo of a young girl on his mobile phone.

He admitted the offences but denied doing it for sexual gratification.

Instead Tunnicliffe, who is autistic, claimed he wanted to show the need to protect the girl from others and to try to better understand the world.

A judge rejected his claims but accepted Tunnicliffe had persuaded himself into believing it.

Judge Timothy Stead spared him from immediate prison when Tunnicliffe was sentenced at Teesside Crown Court.

But he issued him with a sexual harm prevention order and said he will be on the sex offenders register for the next yen years.

The offences dated back to 2016 and 2019.

A hearing took place to determine his motives at the time.

When asked by barristers why he downloaded the images Tunnicliffe said: “To understand why people might do these things.”

His lawyer Stephen Littlewood said: “Clearly his brain works in very different ways to normal people.”

But finding against him Judge Stead said: “The only sensible conclusion the court can reach is he was motivated by sexual desires towards children.”

He said Tunnicliffe’s claims were “absurd or bizarre” adding: “I think he has persuaded himself of the truth of what he is saying.”

Mitigating, Mr Littlewood said the images were at the lowest level of seriousness and Tunnicliffe wants help to understand what he had done wrong.

He said that help would not be available if Tunnicliffe was sent to prison.

"It will take more time but there is the prospect of rehabilitation,” said Mr Littlewood.

Judge Stead said: “Against the concept of your being rehabilitated is the fact that you starkly deny in the face of very plain evidence your motivation.”

But he said he recognised Tunnicliffe’s various personal difficulties and added there are signs he can move towards having healthy attitudes and correct thinking.

Tunnicliffe, of Throston, was given 16 months prison suspended for two years plus 40 rehabilitation days with the probation service.

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