A PAEDOPHILE has walked free from court with a suspended prison sentence.

This is despite the authorities catching Paul Rodger with a sickening stash of images and videos of children being sexually abused.

The 48-year-old faced a sole charge of possessing indecent images of children, as well as three counts of making indecent images of children.

He pleaded guilty to all charges before the magistrates’ court at a previous hearing, with the case committed to Chester Crown Court for sentence.

The facts of the case were outlined to the court by Christopher Hopkins, prosecuting in the case.

Phones seized by authorities were sent for a forensic examination, and these revealed the presence of sickening images of children being sexually abused.

In total, 1,362 depraved photographs and videos of children were recovered.

Of these, five videos were graded as category A – the most severe category involving child rape – while 14 photos and videos were deemed category B and 1,342 were category C.

Before sentencing, judge Patrick Thompson highlighted that the severity of the offences merited a custodial sentence.

However, he concluded that he could suspend the sentence.

Rodger, of Balfour Street in Runcorn, was sentenced to eight months in prison suspended for two years.

This includes 35 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 150 hours of unpaid work, in and for the benefit of the community.

The court also ordered that the defendant sign the sex offender register and abide by the terms of a sexual harm prevention order – both for a period of 10 years.

In addition, orders were approved to deprive the defendant of the phones seized during the course of the police investigation.