A man who admitted possessing images of child sexual abuse told a court he thought it was ok as the victims ‘didn’t look forced’.

Mark Gregg, 21, appeared at Dumbarton Sheriff Court last week from custody to admit to the charge while living at an address in Rhu in August 2013.

Gregg told social workers he at first thought ‘the children involved in the images were older and that it did not look to him that they looked forced’.

Sheriff Hendry presiding interrupted, saying: “It is a matter of the law that children can not consent.” The solicitor said Gregg accepted there is a victim involved and is aware that a custodial sentence is available for these types of charges.

Sheriff Hendry said: “Your solicitor says the two months you have spent in custody is ‘substantial’, it is not nearly as substantial as the sentence could be.

“Charge one is a serious matter and if you do not know that, it is worrying and would lead me to believe you would do it again.

“I am only just convinced there is an alternative.” Gregg was sentenced to a community payback order for three years, with three years supervision.

He will have to do 200 hours of unpaid work within six months and is banned from owning a laptop, computer, smartphone, or anything with access to internet or digital images.

Gregg, originally from Basingstoke and now living in Portsmouth, was also put on the sex offenders register for three years and will be fined £250 for his breach of bail.