Child porn war veteran deleted internet history

Burnley magistrates were told how ex-soldier Ashley Brynes had installed two apps on his mobile phone and then removed them, destroying the history. He was caught after police visited his home in Hapton, Burnley magistrates were told.

Brynes (32) who is said to suffer post-traumatic stress disorder after serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, has now broken the prohibitions a seven-year sexual harm prevention order twice.

It was made in September 2016, when he was given a jail term at Burnley Crown Court, after admitting allegations of making an indecent photo of a child. The images had been found on his mobile phone.

Early last year, he was locked up after pleading guilty to breaching the SHPO for the first time and failing to comply with the sex offenders' register. Brynes had met a single mum on dating app Tinder and she had left him alone with her baby. She later Googled his name and found a newspaper report on the downloading child porn court case, a court had been told.

Brynes was back in court on Tuesday, where he was given a three-year community order, with 40 days on the sex offenders' programme and a 15-day rehabilitation activity requirement. The Bench, who said there had to be a "punitive element" fined him £10. He must pay £150 costs and an £85 victim surcharge.

Mrs Tracy Yates (prosecuting) told the hearing police went to his home on a compliance visit on April 16th and found he had installed two apps, Kik Messenger and LiveMe and then deleted them, destroying internet history. He was questioned and said he didn't realise he couldn't delete applications.

Mrs Yates said the defendant told police he deleted the LiveMe app as he couldn't control what he was seeing.

She continued: "Asked about the Kik Messenger application, he said he had installed it to chat to people he had previously chatted to, to let them know he had been in prison. He admitted buying the mobile device when he came out of prison."

Mr Mark Williams (defending) said: "What he had not appreciated was whether or not installing and deleting an app was removing that history. The defendant, who is on benefits, is a man who served his country. He would benefit from the treatment course."

A probation officer who interviewed Brynes, said: "There is such a waiting list for the sex offenders' treatment programme it could be a year or so until he is able to go on one, so they are attached to a three-year community order."

Sentencing, Bench chairman Mrs Lynn Kemp told Brynes little or no harm was caused to others. She added: "You should be rehabilitated and we have to ensure protection of the public."

Brynes, of Simpson Street, admitted breaching the sexual harm prevention order, between October 2017 and April 2018.