A 'SEXUALLY frustrated' Hampshire man has avoided prison after viewing images of child pornography. 

Neil Barton, 51, of Tichborne Down, Alresford, was handed a community order and a sexual harm prevention order.

The court heard that Barton viewed a total of 27 images and videos, one of which was in the most serious category A. 

He pleaded guilty to the offences and was sentenced at Winchester Crown Court on Friday, July 12. 

David Tremain, prosecuting, told the court that police officers went to Barton's address in September 2022 and found the images on an iPhone. 

The court heard that Barton told officers he saw the images on Twitter. 

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Katie Williams, mitigating, said: “He was in a dark place on the internet. He was lonely and sexually frustrated. He is an otherwise blameless man. He has sought to deal with this with psychiatric assistance.”

Assistant judge advocate general Jane England said: “The protection of the public can be achieved with rehabilitation. You said you felt isolated and lonely due to the Covid situation. You used pornography to fill a gap in your life. That led to you viewing child pornography. 

“Countless young lives have been wrecked by this abuse. You would be horrified if your children had been exposed like this by others. You will keep this in mind if you ever view these images again.”

Barton was handed a 24-month community order and must complete 30 rehabilitation days, including the Maps for Change programme. He must also complete 200 hours of unpaid work within 12 months and he was given a sexual harm prevention order for five years. Barton has to pay costs of £150 within 30 days and has been banned from working with children.