A RAMSBOTTOM man was taken to court and fined £500 for having child porn on his phone - which was sent to him on a Whatsapp group.

Scott Leatherbarrow and his then friends would engage in “laddish” behaviour and exchange regular pornographic images, Minshull Street Crown Court heard.

But the 44-year-old found himself in trouble after police found out he had seven indecent images on his device in November 2017.

He was also found to have a video of bestiality involving a pig.

Prosecutors initially accused him of downloading the video and images but it was established they had come from a WhatsApp group.

Leatherbarrow, of Acre Close admitted to possession of the images and was fined £500.

Defence lawyer Gwen Henshaw said her client had moved away from the group in question.

Leatherbaroow had also been in employment since the incident, including as a key worker during the Covid crisis, she told the court.

Passing sentence, Judge Angela Nield said she felt able to go outside of the normal guidelines for such offending, given the unique circumstances of the case.

Earlier Judge Nield asked prosecutor Antony Longworth: “Is it correct that all the images that are concerned in this case were sent to him?”

The prosecutor replied: “They were sent via WhatsApp, there is no evidence of searches from him for indecent images.”

Judge Nield added: "You appear before this court today for sentence in respect of possession of indecent images of children.

"It is seven images of category b , it is not the highest category of images seen before this court, it is also a relatively small number, and possession of one item of extreme pornography that did not have any children

“Ordinarily those who have on their computers or electronic equipment images involving children who have exploited and abused in videos can expect to face a period in custody or a suspended period of imprisonment.

“You were in a WhatsApp group in which images of a sexual nature were exchanged between you and your friends at the time, involving laddish and rude behaviour.

“It seems to me this appearance before the court has been a salutary lesson to you.”