POLICE have warned users of internet child pornography 'you will be caught ' following the conviction of a leading Morecambe hotelier.

Paul Bury is currently serving a three month sentence for downloading pornographic images of children from the Internet.

He will remain on the sex offenders register for seven years.

Investigating officer at Morecambe's intelligence unit, DC Chris Moore, told the Citizen that police were determined to stamp out this type of crime.

He added: "I would say to these people that it doesn't matter what you do, the computer always keeps a record. It can't be changed and you will be caught."

But this week father, Geoff Bury, made a spirited defence of his son arguing that he had downloaded the pornography by accident. He said: "My son downloaded the images by accident. I don't know anything about computers but I know he was disgusted by what he saw and tried to get rid of it. That's how come he was convicted.

"He was looking for the type of stuff you might get from the top shelf. Not this."

Mr Bury claims that all of his son's family and friends have stood by him, and he has even had character witnesses from Justices of the Peace.

And he argued that the three month sentence imposed on his son was an injustice. He said: "That student who had hundreds of images like this from the internet last year only received a suspended sentence."

Paul Bury was traced because the London Internet Watch Committee had received a tip off that a number of hits on child pornography sites were being made at an address in Morecambe.

That private organisation informed Morecambe police who began investigations that led to the conviction.

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