A TEENAGER who downloaded indecent images of children as young as four claimed he was ‘sexually experimenting’ at the time.

Michael Porter, of Maltfield Road, Oxford, was set to stand trial for two counts of making indecent photographs of a child but went on to change his plea and admitted both counts.

Oxford Magistrates’ Court heard at his sentencing on Tuesday how the 18-year old was first discovered when police raided his home on December 13.

Seizing a Samsung mobile phone police found three images in the least severe category - C, and one in the second most severe category - B.

They depicted naked images of children aged as young as four years old, the court heard.

In mitigation Francis Howard said that his client had committed the offence at a very young age and had only been 17 at the time police came to his home.

He said: “He accepts these were very serious offence, at the time of the offending he was a teenager.

“This was a time of sexual experimentation by a teenage boy.”

He added that Porter had a bright future, having gained good grades at school and secured full time employment.

He said: “He is young and fit and healthy and willing to work and recompense the community with unpaid work.”

Sentencing, presiding magistrate David Harding decided that his crime was so serious that he had to impose a custodial sentence, albeit one he could suspend.

He said: “You will appreciate by now that these are very serious matters. Children have been exploited.

“We have taken into account your age at the time of the offence and we have also taken into account the fact that, while you didn’t plead guilty at the first opportunity, you did plead guilty.”

Porter was jailed for 20 weeks, suspended for 24 months and must carry out rehabilitation activity, a sex offenders programme and 80 hours of unpaid work.