A FORMER Bentham man who had eight indecent images of underage girls on his laptop computer has been handed a community sentence.

The images were discovered by Philip Edmondson's partner, who reported him to the police, Skipton magistrates were told.

The eight images were all of 10 to 15-year-old girls in a variety of 'erotic poses', said prosecutor Martin Butterworth.

MORE TOP STORIES: Edmondson, 47, was a man of previous good character and the number of images was not high, he added.

Now of Harrowby Street, Farmworth, Bolton, Edmondson admitted four charges of making indecent images between September 12, 2007, and August 11, 2014, in Bentham.

In mitigation, Scott McLaughlin said Edmondson had 'ventured' onto the internet and did not pose a significant risk to children.

His two-year community order will include up to 40 days of rehabilitation activity. He was also given a two-year sexual harm prevention order and ordered to pay costs of £85 and a surcharge of £60. A deprivation order was made for his laptop.