AN elderly man who denied having an “abhorrent” sexual interest in children shared indecent images with other paedophiles online, a court heard.

Mohammad Aslam avoided an immediate custodial prison sentence due to his age and previous good character when he appeared at Bradford Crown Court.

But Mr Recorder David Kelly told him: “In common with many people who commit the offences that you have committed, you deny any sexual interest in children.

“It used to be thought that until you were prepared to acknowledge that problem, work on your rehabilitation couldn’t begin.

“I suspect that’s now a rather old-fashioned viewpoint [and] that you, in common with many people like you, deny that because you just know how abhorrent such interest is viewed both in your own community and in the wider community and that your denial of such interest is borne of deep shame.

“If I am right about those things it, in my view, shows that there is very good reason to embark sooner rather than later on your rehabilitation and your attitudes.”

Prosecutor Philip Adams said Aslam, 74, of Dalby Avenue, Bradford, was arrested by police at his home on August 24, 2022, on suspicion of possession of indecent images of children.

Two mobile phones were found to contain 44 videos and still images ranging from Category A – the most severe – to Category C which had been accessed between December 2017 and September 2020.

Aslam had also downloaded four videos showing bestiality.

He was found to have shared indecent videos and images, including of a baby, via WhatsApp, and had shared extreme pornography within a group chat.

During an interview, he answered “no comment” to questions, and in a further interview after his phones had been downloaded, made no admissions.

He initially pleaded not guilty to possession and distribution of indecent images, but later changed his plea to guilty.

Mitigating, Lauren Smith said Aslam had lived “a completely law-abiding life” until his arrest and sought a suspended sentence on the basis of his previous good character, his age, and the current status of the UK’s overcrowded prison estate.

She said Aslam was capable of being rehabilitated.

Recorder Kelly handed Aslam a total of 57 months to be served concurrently, meaning the longest he will serve is 23 months for distributing images via WhatsApp.

That sentence is suspended for two years.

Aslam must carry out 120 hours of unpaid community work and undertake 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days, working with the probation service to address his behaviour.

He was also made the subject of a 10-year sexual harm prevention order, and placed on the sex offenders’ register for life.

Mr Recorder Kelly also ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the mobile phones.