September 2016 Walsall man had 6,000 indecent images A Walsall man who had more than 6,000 indecent images of children stored on a laptop and USB drive was spared jail after a judge felt it would be ‘safer’ for the public to offer him psychological help Adrian Miles, of Short Street, Darlaston, admitted three counts of possession or creation of indecent images of children, and one of being in possession of a prohibited image at Wolverhampton Crown Court in August. The court heard that he had 6,063 Class C images, 42 Class B images and 11 of the most serious Class A images stored on his computer and a USB drive, with police also discovering search terms for ‘pre-teen naturists’ in his internet history. Miles, aged 49, was arrested last September 29 after police were given a tip-off. He was given a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, at Wolverhampton Crown Court yesterday. He was also given a mental health treatment requirement of two years, as well as a rehabilitation requirement of 25 days, alongside a 10-year sexual harm prevention order, meaning he will have to ensure his internet history is available to police. He must sign on to the sex offenders register for 10 years. Prosecuting, Howard Searle, said: “Images were also stored on a USB stick and split into folders which were given titles such as Hotties One and Yummy 10.” Defence solicitor Arvind Sharma said that during psychological examinations  Miles admitted he had ‘an attraction’ to children, described as a positive admission which differed from many similar offenders. He added: “It is the opinion of probation officers that this will make it easier for them to work with him.” Judge Stephen Ward told Miles: “I have to hand out a sentence that will not only punish you, but help you rehabilitate if possible and also protect the public. I believe if you spent six months or a year in prison you would come out worse. Giving you access to help is a safer solution.” April 2001 Man told to stay away over letter to girl of 13 A MIDLAND man has been banned from his church after he penned a ‘romantic’ letter to a 13-year-old girl Adrian Miles, 34, wrote to the youngster after meeting her last year at Bearwood Baptist Church in Smethwick. The girl’s father complained to church minister, the Reverend Warwick Lydiate, about the nature of the letter which was sent just after Christmas. And Rev Lydiate told the unemployed bachelor, who had been attending services for about six months, that he was no longer welcome. Mr Miles has since been charged with harassment. He is alleged to have written a series of letters to the reverend and the Baptist leadership complaining about the ban, and putting up posters in the church lobby. Last night Mr Miles, of Edgbaston, Birmingham, claimed he believed the youngster was 16 years old. ‘I haven’t done anything wrong, I wrote to this girl with pure intentions,’ he said last night. ‘It was a romantic, friendly letter to a girl who I thought was older – but there was no sexual connotation to it at all. ‘I have lost my home and I’m living in a hostel as a result of this, and I can’t go to the church that I loved. I was being cut off completely by the church. ‘People were being told things about me. When I protested, I was told I couldn’t attend any services. I was told to stay away. ‘I really enjoyed Bearwood Baptist Church and I want to be able to go back there when all of this has been cleared up.’ But Mr Lydiate, 60, said: ‘Mr Miles did know the age of the child. ‘This letter came to light in the new year and this became a child protection matter for our church. We recommended that he did not attend the church in future.’ Mr Miles was arrested on a charge of harassment – punishable by six months in prison and/or a pounds 5,000 fine. He claims he was threatened by a police officer during the arrest, and is due to attend Birmingham Magistrates Court in July. A spokesman for West Midlands Police said: ‘A 34-year-old Birmingham man has been charged with two counts of harassment. ‘We can also confirm a formal complaint has been made against a West Midlands police officer and that the complaint is being investigated.’