A JURY found a Ryde man guilty of possessing child sex abuse images.

Nicholas Berryman, 54, of Alexandra Road, denied three counts of making indecent photographs of children and possession of extreme pornographic images showing bestiality.

He appeared at the Isle of Wight Crown Court on Friday for sentencing, where he was given a suspended jail term.

Recorder Richard Shepherd said the prosecution had put the case that it was deliberate downloading of 3,000-odd Category A images showing indecent images of children, just under 5,000 at Category B and just under 20,000 Category C.

Elisabeth Bussey-Jones, representing Berryman, said the images were downloaded in bulk, not categorised, and had then been deleted — and there was no evidence he had looked at them.

She said he had had the case hanging over him since the discovery of the images in 2018, and had gone through a trial and a re-trial.

She said: "He is a completely broken man at the prospect of custody. He's already a punished man living with the shame. He is distraught, as is his family."

Berryman, a man of previous good character, was described in the probation report as a recluse and a man of a 'very sensitive nature'.

Family members, including his wife and daughter, plus his employer, gave statements about his good character, but Recorder Shepherd told Berryman "the letters are very powerful but written on the basis they have believed lies you have told them."

He added: "You now believe your own lies."

Recorder Shepherd said he would take into account positive steps taken to avoid the internet, Berryman's fragile mental health, and that the proceedings had been delayed three years.

He sentenced him to two years in custody, suspended for two years.

He must pay £500 costs, undertake 30 rehabilitation days and be subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for ten years.

He is also placed on the Sex Offenders' Register.