A FISHGUARD man charged with possessing and distributing pornographic images of children has escaped a jail sentence.

Haverfordwest magistrates had considered jailing 40-year-old Neil Andrew Ahearne, of 29 Gwelfor, who on October 13th pleaded guilty to distributing an indecent photo/pseudo photo of a child and to possessing 19 such images of children under the age of 18.

When Ahearne appeared before magistrates last week, he was ordered to complete 80 hours of community punishment and three years of community rehabilitation.

The magistrates ruled that Ahearne should be put on the sex offenders' register for five years, and that he must attend a new initiative - the community sex offenders' group work programme - as soon as it becomes available in 2005. Ahearne was also ordered to pay £55 costs.

Prosecutor Nick Newton told the court the indecent images had been found on Ahearne's computer and two unmarked floppy disks, which were seized when police officers executed a search warrant at his home.

One of the images, although blurred, showed a girl aged between three and five years old engaged in a sexual act with an adult male.

Mark Layton, defending, said Ahearne was a user of on-line chat rooms where adult pornographic images were circulated via e-mail.

Mr Layton said his client often forwarded e-mails he had received without checking the content, and this was how the distribution charge had come about. Mr Layton also claimed Ahearne would always delete images featuring children as soon as he came across them.

"My client is deeply ashamed that he let himself become involved with chat rooms," said Mr Layton. "He has lost his part-time job, his good name and his reputation. The stigma of the case will live with him for many years."