A 44-year-old Keighley man, who copied and sold pornographic movies at his home has been ordered to carry out community service.

Ian Watkin (pictured) of Craven Road, appeared before Bingley Magistrates Court yesterday for sentence after previously admitting five counts of selling classified films that should only be sold in sex shops and one count of selling an unclassified film. He was ordered to carry out 125 hours of community service and ordered to pay £2,000 costs.

Magistrate Ian Thompson said: "We are reducing the sentence because you pleaded guilty. If you had not done so we would have sentenced you to 160 hours."

Harjit Ryatt, prosecuting for West Yorkshire Trading Standards, said the charges had been brought after an investigation by the owners of the pornographic material.

He said: "It was clear that Mr Watkin knew that what he was doing was unlawful."

Mr Ryatt said 1,500 DVDs, VHS cassettes, and other devices used to download and copy pornographic material had been seized from Watkin's home.

Watkin had been trading over the Internet as VideoFun12.com and supplying the films from his home.

The court heard Watkin had started the business when he knew he was about to lose his job at a petrol station.

Magistrates were told the offences took place following a downward spiral in the defendant's life. After his business went bust he lost his wife of ten years and his home. He was also mourning his father's death.

The court was told the internet business earned him an average of £1,000 a month.

After the hearing a spokesman for West Yorkshire Trading Standards said: "The controls that exist within the industry are there for a reason, and those who choose to ignore them should realise that it will not be tolerated.

"The case was brought as a result of a lengthy investigation.

"It was quite clear from the volume of material seized that the defendant was operating a thriving business in the sale of illegal pornography."