July 2006 ‘Tragic history’ sees pervert escape jail sentence AN INTERNET pervert who downloaded more than 4,000 indecent images of young boys was yesterday banned from using the Internet and owning a computer. Alan Lang, from Newport, escaped a prison sentence after the court heard he had a “tragic history.” Newport crown court heard how the 37-year-old, of Rodney Road, was a “vulnerable person” who had desperately sought help for his “compulsion.” Prosecutor John Probert said police raided Lang’s home after receiving a tip-off. “He said he had a compulsion and was, in his own words, desperate for help’,” Mr Probert said. Lang admitted 16 counts of making indecent images of children and one charge of possessing 4,023 indecent images. The court was told six of these images were graded as the worst possible category of child abuse. Caroline Rees for Lang said her client had pleaded guilty at the very first opportunity. The judge said the public would want to know why he had not passed a custodial sentence. He said what “shines out” is that Lang was a man with “considerable difficulties” for which he was in no way responsible for. Judge Philip Richards said: “You have committed a very serious offence by downloading these images. “The sad fact is that those children used to create these images for the gratification of people like you were abused themselves. “Real children suffered real harm and what the consequences are to those children is inestimable.” The judge said the images the defendant downloaded were “appalling”. He sentenced Lang to a three-year supervision order as part of which he will have to undergo a sex offenders treatment programme. Under the terms of a sex offenders’ prevention order, Lang was banned from using a computer or accessing the Internet indefinitely. He was told he would have to register on the sex offenders’ register for five years.