by Keith Hunt

Perverts who download depraved child porn are entitled to have a mobile phone – even if it can access the internet, a judge has declared.

Judge Jeremy Gold QC was being asked to make a sexual offences prevention order banning a man from accessing the internet, including mobile phones.

But he changed the terms of the order to read “…prohibited from owning any computer, laptop or equipment, other than a mobile telephone, that is capable of accessing the internet.”

Judge Gold said: “A man must be entitled to have his own mobile phone in 2010 in reality.

"As time goes by, more and more do have internet capability.

“It is the exception more than the rule not to have internet capability.

"It is difficult to imagine there would be effective downloading of material on a mobile phone because of the size of the screen.”

Other judges have made similar orders to include mobile phones.

Adam McBride, 33, of Birch Road, Hoo Marina Park, Hoo, admitted 10 charges of making indecent images of child sex abuse.

Maidstone Crown Court heard he was living with his mother when police raided their home in October last year.

Jane Scotchmer, prosecuting, said computer equipment was seized and McBride was found to have downloaded 355 images, most of which were at the lowest level of one.

Miss Scotchmer said the pictures were of boys and girls aged six to 12. Jobless McBride’s user name was Hellboy.

Shauna Ritchie, defending, said it was an act of stupidity. “He accepts that without an audience to look at the images they would not be produced,” she said.

“It is clear he would benefit from an internet sex offender treatment programme. He would like to learn something in that regard.

Judge Gold told McBride “downloading child pornography is a thoroughly bad thing because it perpetuates the abuse of children”.

McBride was ordered to do 150 hours unpaid work and attend a sex offender programme.