A REDDITCH father of two who kept images of a baby being engaged in sexual activity has been caught sending indecent images of youngsters in police sting

Steven Cook, who had a “fascination with porn”, was found to have indecent images of children – including a baby – on his computer after being lured into sending a police officer pictures of teenage girls in bikinis, Worcester Crown court heard.

The 35-year-old, of Pine Tree Close in Redditch, admitted one allegation of distributing an indecent image of a child and six of making images.

Judge Robert Juckes QC put him under the supervision of the probation service for three years, during which time he must attend a community sex offenders group.

Cook was also placed on the Sex Offender Log for five years, given a Sexual Offences Prevention Order, and ordered to pay £750 court costs and a £60 victim impact surcharge.

The judge told him: “It’s as well the police moved as quickly as they did.

“I may have real suspicions about where you were heading.”

The judge added that the material Cook had emailed out showed girls aged about 14 in bikinis and there was no suggestion he had been a “bad father” to his own children.

Michael Conry, prosecuting, said officers from a police child exploitation engaged Cook in an email discussion and he sent eight images to an officer.

Police went to his then address in Burns Close, Redditch, where they found 406 indecent images on his mobile phone and more than 500 on his laptop.

Mr Conry said the images included children from as young as a baby to five to seven-year-olds and teenagers being engaged in sexual activity.

When he was interviewed, Cook told police his wife had no knowledge of the images and his “fascination with porn” had got out of hand.

He said he had no sexual interest in children himself but got a “buzz” out of knowing other people did.

Peter Fortune, defending, said Cook had paid for himself to attend sessions with a foundation aimed at tackling his fascination with child pornography.