A 68-year-old man was fined £500 and had a sexual harm prevention order imposed by magistrates after he admitted possessing indecent images of children.

Retired John Henderson of Ashtree Close, Bedale, admitted having the images when he appeared at Northallerton Magistrates Court.

The court was told police went to Henderson’s home after being tipped off as part of an international investigation launched in Canada.

He handed two discs to officers telling them there were images of naked children on them. He told them he liked to look at the images but had no interest in touching a child and had never touched a child.

Magistrates imposed the sexual harm prevention order which monitors his use of the internet.

They also issued a 36 month community order with supervision; his name is being put on the sex offenders register and he was also ordered to pay £145 costs.