Making indecent images and distributing one of them.

A Gateshead man, Nathan Stephen, was sentenced to a two-year suspended sentence for possessing and distributing indecent images of children.

Stephen, 25, pleaded guilty to multiple charges related to a collection of images depicting infants and children up to the age of 16. His collection included 43 category A images (the most serious), 52 category B, and 73 category C images, along with 2,876 prohibited images and seven extreme pornography images.

The court heard that Stephen had distributed one of the category A images to a person he believed was 19, but later learned was a child. Stephen claimed he was addicted to pornography and did not have a sexual attraction to children.

In addition to the suspended sentence, Stephen was ordered to sign the sex offenders register for ten years and was made subject to a sexual harm prevention order.

Stephen's defense attorney, Tony Cornberg, stated that Stephen has mental health issues and has voluntarily enrolled in the "Stop it Now" program to address his offending behavior.