A ROYAL Navy veteran who illegally imported a child sex doll into the country from China has been spared an immediate jail sentence and told to “get out more.”

Graeme Seward, 62, a former Rolls-Royce worker, was sentenced to ten months imprisonment, suspended for two years, at Bradford Crown Court on Friday.

Seward, of Park Avenue, Sutton in Craven, near Keighley, pleaded guilty to two offences of being knowingly concerned in the fraudulent evasion of a prohibition of an indecent or obscene article, namely a child sex doll, between August 1 and 22, 2017.

He was committed to the crown court by Skipton magistrates after he also admitted possession of 22 indecent images of children.

Prosecutor Alexander Menary said Seward ordered the doll on the internet and it was dispatched from China in two parts.

Customs officials intercepted the second package containing the doll’s body and it was seized and impounded at East Midlands Airport.

The police were alerted and when Seward’s home was searched, the doll’s head was found on top of his wardrobe.

Seward’s barrister, Alasdair Campbell, said he had no previous convictions.

“It’s a very sad case,” Mr Campbell said. His client was a lonely man who developed “an unhealthy interest over a short time.”

Seward was well educated and used to have a well paid and well respected job. He saw nine years’ service in the Royal Navy but he had no hobbies and he did not belong to any clubs.

“He needs to get out and about,” Mr Campbell added.

Judge Colin Burn said they were “grubby offences” committed when Seward was socially isolated and drinking too much.

Judge Burn also advised him to get out more.

He ordered him to do 180 hours of unpaid work and attend a rehabilitation activity requirement and a six-month alcohol treatment programme.

After the case, Investigating officer Detective Constable Andrew Lowes, of North Yorkshire Police’s Online Abuse Investigation Team, said: “The manufacture of child-like sex dolls is very disturbing and the underlying motives for acquiring one are a great cause for concern.

“It’s not widely known that it is illegal to import the dolls in the UK and we urge anyone who has any knowledge about their use, to contact their local police.”

Police said early intervention could help to prevent the abuse of real children. To report information about the use of the dolls, call the police on 101 or pass information anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

The force urged anyone concerned about someone they suspect has a sexual interest in children, or if they wanted to get help themselves, to make use of the Lucy Faithfull Foundation’s Stop it Now campaign, at stopitnow.org.uk or call their confidential hotline on 0800 1000 900.

An NSPCC spokesperson said: “Given their size and features there is no question that dolls like the one Seward imported are designed to depict children and their purpose to simulate the sexual abuse of a child.

“The NSPCC hopes recent measures introduced by the Crown Prosecution Service will further support prosecutors in their efforts to clamp down on those who import, distribute and sell these dolls and also act as a clear deterrent to those thinking of buying one.”