Mabone Dane, a disgraced former town councillor who downloaded child porn on to his computer has escaped a jail sentence. Mabon Dane, who was described as having an "unhealthy interest in young children" walked free from court after a judge decided to punish him with a community order which he hoped would deter him from committing similar offences in the future.

Dane, of Withersfield Road, Haverhill, had denied all the charges.

Judge David Goodin told Dane "In my judgement it is likely there is a risk that you will continue to commit similar offences in the future. That being the case it must follow that your interest in what can only be called child pornography might remain undimmed."

He described Dane as having an unhealthy interest in young children and said he was concerned that Dane was unable to accept responsibility for what he had done. Judge Goodin described the offences Dane had been convicted of as arousing great public concern, outrage and revulsion.

He said Dane's conviction by the jury had been "inevitable" and said it was clear he had tried to delete indecent images from his computer while the police were at his door. He told Dane he had read reports of the work he had done for the benefit of the local community. "It is clear that you are capable of being a force for good." he said.

During Dane's trial the court heard that he had used computer software called Evidence Eliminator to delete the indecent images while police were banging on his front door.

Officers were forced to break down the door of his first-floor flat when he did not answer and during a search of the premises his laptop was found under his bed. More than 850 explicit images of children were discovered on the computer.

Giving evidence during the trial Dane claimed he was the victim of a "vindictive campaign" and said he had no idea how the obscene images had got onto his computer.

He said he had not opened his front door on the day of the police raid because he did not know who was banging on his door and he was afraid that he might be attacked.

Matthew McNiff for Dane said his client had no previous convictions and that as a Town Councillor he had done a lot of positive work.

He described Dane as a man with an enormous capacity to do good and achieve good. He went on to describe Dane's fall from grace as "significant".

He told the court that Dane had had a great deal of contact with children over the years, especially in the field of junior athletics, and there had been no complaints about his behaviour arising out of that contact.

After the hearing, Haverhill Town Council clerk Gordon Mussett said "This is one of the most heinous crimes that can be committed and that he did so while still a town councillor makes it doubly so and leaves a bitter taste in the mouth." he added "The police are to be congratulated for apprehending and bringing to justice individuals like Dane who brings the good name of public service into disrepute."

"I think probably the most reassuring thing for both parents and grandparents is the fact that he is banned from ever working with children."

Dane, 36, a former Haverhill Town Councillor, was found guilty by a jury at Ipswich Crown Court of 16 offences of making indecent photos of children and one offence of possessing indecent photos of children between January and June 2004.

Sentencing Dane Judge David Goodin said that as the images found on his computer were level one, the lowest end of the scale for such images, the custody threshold hadn't been crossed.

He ordered Dane to perform 80 hours Community Service and made him the subject of a 3 year Supervision Order.

He also ordered him to pay £500 towards the costs of the prosecution and warned him that if he breached the Community Punishment and Rehabilitation Order he could be brought back to court and jailed.

Judge Goodin also ordered Dane to sign on the Sex Offenders Register for five years and disqualified him from working with children.

A paedophile convicted of possessing images of child pornography on his computer has been fined £100 for failing to comply with his community order and warned he could go to jail if he does so again.

Disgraced former Haverhill town councillor Mabon Dane, 38, appeared at Ipswich Crown Court where he denied breaching the order imposed on him in 2006 when he was found guilty after a trial of 16 charges of making indecent images of children and one of possessing them.

He was warned by Judge David Goodin that he would have little option but to impose a custodial sentence if Dane failed to comply with the order again. The judge also criticised him for his continued denial of the charges.

He said: "Mr Dane is querulous, petulant and devious and I have no doubt a difficult character to work with; nevertheless the work must be done."

"Simply turning up for appointments is not complying with the order if he is not engaging in the work which is intended to change his behaviour and reduce the risk of him offending again."

"There is no doubt in my mind that the visit on January 7 was conducted in a proper and reasonable way, he was treated in a courteous and proper way. It is unsurprising that the defendant finds himself in the position that he does as his total denial of what he had done makes it impossible for him to engage."

"It is in everyone's interests, yours and society's, that the risk you run of creating a demand for these images is reduced."

Prosecutor Russell Butcher said that Dane, of Gazelle Close, Colchester, was sentenced to a 36-month community punishment and put on the Sex Offenders Register in July 2006.

In December 2007 he had refused to allow a probation officer and a police officer into his home and in January of 2008 he let them in, but refused to answer any questions. He turned on a Dictaphone to record their questions, then sat reading a book. On a visit to the probation office on the next day, he refused to answer any questions and simply wrote them down.

Dominic Bell, Dane's fifth probation officer, said Dane had previously refused to answer any questions about his past history before 1993 and had wanted to dictate how his supervision should be conducted.

Dane, who is now a follower of Islam, told the court he was not happy with the police officer visiting his home and would have answered questions if the probation officer came alone.

Dane claimed he suffers from Asperger's Syndrome and found it hard to follow the officer because of his Irish accent and quick speech.

Dane, branded a Devious Paedophile who was convicted of possessing images of child pornography on his computer was fined £100 for failing to comply with his community order and warned he could go to jail if he does so again.

Dane, who was the former Haverhill Town Councillor, appeared at Ipswich Crown Court where he denied breaching the order imposed on him in 2006 when he was found guilty after a trial of 16 charges of making indecent images of children and one of possessing them.

Judge Goodin also ordered Dane to pay £200 costs.