A convicted sex offender caught with indecent images of children on his phone has been given “a golden opportunity” by a judge to mend his ways.

Luke Bullivant was arrested on November 27, 2019, at his then home in Boldshay Street, Bradford Moor, Bradford, an address he hadn’t registered with the police, Bradford Crown Court heard.

He immediately admitted to the police that he had indecent images of children on his phone and went on to plead guilty to possession of six category A images and 4 each at categories B and C.

Prosecutor Abigail Langford said the abused children were as young as four years old.

Bullivant, 30, of Mannville Terrace, Great Horton, Bradford, was ordered to sign on the sex offender register in 2006 for an offence of sexual assault on a girl under 13.

Last year, he was given a suspended 26 week jail sentence for failing to comply with the notification requirements. The court heard he wasn’t in breach of that sentence because it post-dated the indecent images offences.

He also had previous convictions for being drunk and disorderly and assault on an emergency worker.

The court heard in mitigation that Bullivant had a difficult upbringing with traumatic events in his earlier life.

He had mental health problems exacerbated by drug and alcohol misuse.

A psychiatrist described him as having “slipped through the gaps” because of his complex needs.

He was now actively seeking help and had stopped taking drugs.

Bullivant had owned up to his offending as soon as the police arrived to check on him and the offences were committed more than 18 months ago.

Recorder David Gordon sentenced him to ten months imprisonment, suspended for two years, with 35 rehabilitation activity days and a six month drug rehabilitation requirement.

He urged Bullivant to take “the golden opportunity” to seek help from the probation service and to stay off drugs.

Recorder Gordon said the maximum prison sentence he could impose would mean that Bullivant was freed from prison in just a few months with no support network in place.

He had been leading a “chaotic and nomadic lifestyle” and needed a settled address, the court was told.

He was genuinely remorseful and had already taken significant steps to change his ways.

Recorder Gordon made a ten year Sexual Harm Prevention Order and Bullivant was ordered to sign on the sex offender register for ten years.