A CONVICTED sex offender who lied about having indecent images of children in pain on his mobile phone has been given an extended prison sentence after being branded dangerous by a judge.

Burnley Crown Court heard how officers from the sex offenders management team had been to the home of 61-year-old Michael James Guy to carry out a random spot check as part of the terms of a sexual offences prevention order he received in 2013 in relation to offences of grooming.

Those offences, which took place in the Hyndburn area, saw him make sexual comments to three girls aged 12 to 14 and ply them with alcohol.

When he was arrested at that time police found more than 300 indecent photos on his computer.

For those offences he was jailed for three years and given the indefinite sexual offences prevention order, which limited his access to the internet and meant he had to present all internet-enabled devices to officers when requested to do so.

During a police visit on January 27 that Guy’s latest offending came to light.

Prosecuting, Emma Kehoe said: “The defendant did provide a mobile phone to the police. He was then asked about the whereabouts of a Motorola phone and a tablet. Mr Guy told police he had sold the Motorola and disposed of the tablet because it was broken."

Police then found an Xgody mobile phone.

Guy, who has convictions for unlawful sexual intercourse and indecent assault, was arrested and when police examined the phone they found 26 Category A indecent images of children, 28 Category B, 1,901 Category C, and 86 prohibited images.

Ms Kehoe said: “All the images are of girls. Their approximate ages seems to be between four and nine. Some of the images clearly demonstrated pain and distress being suffered by the children.

“When Mr Guy was interviewed by police he said he found the phone on a train. He was going to hand it in to the police but he didn’t. He denied he was responsible for downloading any of the images.”

Guy, now of HMP Forest Bank, but formerly of Spring Street, Rishton, and Newfield Drive, Nelson, admitted three counts of breaching a sexual offences prevention order, three counts of downloading indecent images of children and one of downloading prohibited images.

Defending, Richard Bennett said: “It is time of inactivity that he starts to behave in the manner which brings him before the courts. He knows he is going to prison. He knows some of the images are the most serious and his past convictions won’t help him. I ask the court to take into account totality and his age when passing sentence.”

Recorder Christopher Hudson jailed Guy for four years and three months and gave him a two-year extended licence.