A PAEDOPHILE who owned an “evil” image of a young boy being sexually abused was spared an immediate prison sentence.

Joseph Osei, 36, of Wingate Street, Newport, was found guilty by a jury of possessing a class A indecent image of a child.

This category depicts the most serious examples of child sexual abuse.

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He was also convicted after a trial of possessing class B and class C images.

The offences were committed in September 2018.

Byron Broadstock, mitigating, said on behalf of his client: “It is not entrenched offending and it is sporadic at best.”

He told Cardiff Crown Court that the defendant, a Ghanaian national, has no previous convictions and continues to protest his innocence.

Judge Richard Williams told the court Osei had possessed an image of a boy, who was aged between six and eight.

He added: “It is difficult for us to comprehend. It is an evil image.”

The judge said although Osei was in a “state of denial”, the Probation Service report stressed that they would be able to work with him to try and tackle his offending.

He said he felt that justice would be better served if an attempt was made to try and rehabilitate him rather than send him to prison for a short period of time where he would get no help.

Judge Williams jailed the defendant for six months, suspended for two years.

Osei must complete a 30-day rehabilitation activity requirement, attend 40 sessions of an offender programme, pay £1,000 prosecution costs and a victim surcharge.

He must register as a sex offender for seven years and was made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order for the same length of time.

The prosecutor in the case was Corina Hughes.