A BRADFORD man lied to the police after he was caught hoarding images of children being raped - saying others had access to his phone and then claiming it had been hacked.

Shazad Bismel was in possession of 50 Category A pictures, 56 at Category B and 67 at Category C, Bradford Crown Court heard.

After being evasive and then denying that he had any sexual interest in children, he pleaded guilty on the day of his trial.

Bismel, 38, of Undercliffe Street, Barkerend, Bradford, was spared an immediate prison sentence on Thursday because he is a hardworking man with no previous convictions and he had eventually admitted the three charges of possession of indecent photographs, between May 26, 2019, and December 11, 2020.

The judge, Recorder Mark McKone KC, expressed his surprise and disappointment that the probation service were unable to offer Bismel a place on the Sexual Offender Treatment Programme as part of the suspended sentence order.

He told him: “It seems to me that you were an obvious candidate for that.”

It was understood that only repeat offenders were eligible.

Prosecutor Joe Culley told the court that several police officers went to Bismel’s home on December 10, 2020.

He at first denied having a phone and then said it was broken before retrieving it from under the bed. A forensic examination revealed the downloaded and then deleted indecent images.

Mr Culley said that in addition to the illegal pictures, 191 Category 6 images were found. Although not against the law, they could indicate an interest in the sexual abuse of children.

Searches conducted by Bismel on the phone included ‘child rape,’ and ‘family orgy.’ The court was told that screenshots indicated that he had discussed child sexual abuse with others.

Bismel told the police he had never seen any indecent images of children. Other had access to his phone or someone must have hacked into it.

Ken Green said in mitigation that Bismel was a hardworking man and his family were shocked by what he had done. A tragic family bereavement may have led to his behaviour.

He was of previous good character and had not committed any offences in the more than two years since the police came to his home.

Recorder McKone said the case was of particular concern because searches by Bismel included the rape of children and he had interacted with others to discuss child sexual abuse.

But he was a hardworking man with a good prospect of rehabilitation.

Bismel was sentenced to 16 months imprisonment, suspended for two years, with a 50-day rehabilitation activity requirement and 150 hours of unpaid work.

He was ordered to pay £1,500 costs.

A ten-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order regulates his use of the internet and he must sign on the sex offender register, also for ten years.