A photographer who worked for the Department of Education has been handed a suspended sentence for possessing indecent images of children.

Brian Stanley Mitchell, of Woodbourne Road, Douglas, admitted he had taken naked printed photographs of a two-year-old girl and downloaded computer images of teenage boys, with one image exposing the boy’s genitalia. In total he admitted possessing nine images. The images were rated at level one on the Copine scale - used for measure the severity of images at between one and five, with five being the most severe.

The 63-year-old was sentenced to 12 weeks’ custody, suspended for two years, and also put on the sex offenders’ register for five years.

The photos of the girl were taken by Mitchell more than 20 years ago and the images of boys were downloaded about four years ago.

He had taken photos of the two-year-old girl without her parents’ consent.

The court heard that Mitchell had not exploited his position at the Department of Education which he no longer held and none of the charges related to his time there.

He entered a basis of plea in which he said he had never taken or possessed images for sexual gratification.

Prosecutor James Robinson also made an application for Mitchell to be made the subject of a Sexual Offences Prevention Order but Deputy High Bailiff Jayne Hughes ruled that this would not be necessary.

Mr Robinson said of Mitchell: ’There appears to be a complete lack of appreciation as to what the line is between decent and indecent.’

He added the complaint had been started by inappropriate, but not indecent, photos taken of other children.

Defence advocate Roger Kane said: ’Other photos taken, not deemed indecent, brought police to his door in the first place. He is a 63-year-old man with no relevant previous convictions. Mr Mitchell has been engaged in community work for a very many years.’

Mr Kane went on to say that the photos taken of the two-year-old were black and white and his client had disputed whether they were indecent.

’They weren’t obviously indecent, as other images that fall into category one of the Copine scale are,’ said the advocate.

One of the images was said to involve the child wearing a mask.

Mr Kane said: ’He didn’t see anything sinister in the mask but sees how others could view it. They were taken many years ago and weren’t distributed.

’They were put in an envelope, put on a shelf and gathered dust for many years. He categorically denies any sexual element.’

Deputy High Bailiff Mrs Hughes asked why the photos had been taken and Mr Kane replied that his client had taken them for an art project but then deemed them not right for it.

Mrs Hughes said aggravating factors were the girl’s age and that it had been a breach of trust of her parents.

Mitchell must also pay £125 prosecution costs.