A paedophile from Bromley who claimed that sexual images of children on his computer were medical has avoided prison for the second time.

Neil Chapman, a 34-year-old from Reigate Road in Bromley, was caught in possession of more than 100 vile images when his home was raided by police in August 2021.

Police intelligence suggested he had uploaded a horrific image to an online forum.

His computer was seized and when questioned about the upload he told police: "It rings a bell but may have been a medical image."

Chapman had previously been in trouble with the law in 2016, when he was caught possessing indecent images of children in nearly identical circumstances.

On that occasion a judge at Croydon Crown Court gave him a suspended sentence, so he never served any time in prison.

After pleading guilty to his latest offences, he appeared at Woolwich Crown Court for sentencing on Wednesday, March 22.

Defense counsel Honor Fitzgerald told the court that Chapman had been struggling with his mental health following the death of two family members.

She added that this was a "set back" to his rehabilitation, which had been going well.

Judge Sarah Whitehouse handed him a 16 month sentence, suspended for two years meaning he walked free from court again and will not see a prison cell unless he offends again during that period.

Judge Whitehouse told him: "The reason I'm going to suspended it again is because in prison you will not get the level of help that you need, and the level of help that the public needs you to get to protect them."

She added that he should understand that the actions of people like himself cause immense pain for child victims of sexual abuse everyday.