An 18 year old was found with more than 450 sexual images of children on his mobile phone and laptop, some of who were just six months old.

Lancashire Police attended the address of Brenden Wyer, of Simpson Street, Burnley, after an investigation from the child protection services.

Burnley Crown Court, sitting at Burnley Magistrates' Court, heard how in June 2022, Wyer was arrested at his home after his mother had invited the police in.

Wyer had only just turned 17 at the time of his arrest.

Prosecuting, Mercedeh Jabbari told the court police then found 461 sexual images of children on his laptop and mobile phone, including still and moving images.

These includes pictures of babies. He also had images portraying bestiality.

In mitigation, Mark Stephenson told the court that Wyer is autistic, and pointed to his young age at the time of the offending.

He said: "His autism affects his way of being able to feel things, and he says he searched for those images to incite emotions like other people are able to feel.

"His mother is also terminally ill, whom doctors believe only has a matter of weeks or months to live. He fears that she will die whilst he is in custody.

"He will already experience extra difficulties in prison due to his autism."

While Wyer has no criminal record, he was given a caution in 2021 of engaging in sexual activity with a 12-year-old when he was 16.

Wyer pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent photograph of a child, and one of possessing an extreme pornographic image portraying an act of intercourse with an animal.

Judge Daniel Prowse sentenced Wyer to a three year community order with 20 days rehabilitation.

He was also made subject to a sexual harm prevention order.

He said: "By looking at these images, you create a market for real men to rape real children.

"You had some of the most serious images for this offence.

"But I agree with the Probation Service who say that your best chance of rehabilitation, with your learning difficulties and the fact your mother very ill, is by working with them in the community, and not in custody."