STEVE BROOKE

MIRFIELD MAN STEVEN BROOKE JAILED FOR CHILD PORN

Steve Brooke, a former chairman of Mirfield Tennis Club, was jailed for 18 weeks by Dewsbury magistrates.

Brooke, 57, admitted storing almost 14,000 images on computer equipment.

He pleaded guilty to downloading indecent images, most of which were of level one, the least serious, but eight of which were level five, the most graphic.

Brooke was arrested in August 2009 after a special operation by the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre focused on Croatian websites.

Police found images had been downloaded onto computers at his home, and he handed over a box containing eight memory sticks with a total of 13,624 images.

Most images were of the least serious level, with a few of the most graphic.

He stated he had viewed pornography initially on adult sites which linked to child pornography, and he was ashamed of his actions.

Brooke was sentenced to 18 weeks in jail, with a requirement to sign the sex offenders register for seven years, and he was made subject of a sexual offences prevention order to prevent him from working with children.

Additionally, his computer equipment was destroyed.

He also served as chairman of the Mirfield Tennis Club and claimed he had not been involved in coaching children.

Brooke expressed remorse and said he had tried to make amends for his actions.