October 2015 Pervert admits to police having pictures of children A paedophile who downloaded indecent images of children made a doorstep confession to police. Michael Tyas, 61, was not at his east Hull home when officers called on the morning of April 15. His wife answered the door and called her husband home, Hull Crown Court heard yesterday. Phillip Evans, prosecuting, said Tyas was arrested and his laptop was seized. “It’s fair to say that when interviewed later that day, even before the computer was analysed, he made admissions on the doorstep,” said Mr Evans. The court heard the offence related to “a very modest” number of images – two images of the most serious level, category A, five of category B and two of category C. Tyas, of Hathersage Road, pleaded guilty to a single count of making indecent images of children. James Gould, mitigating, handed a letter, written by his client, to Judge Paul Watson QC. “The sense of shame is palpable,” said Mr Gould, who pointed out his client’s early guilty plea. Judge Watson QC said he felt sympathy for Tyas’s wife who is “standing by him and supporting him”. “It must have come as a massive shock when the police came knocking,” he said. Judge Watson QC went on to tell Tyas: “This type of material is viewed in two dimensions but it is filmed in real life. “It is an industry that only exists because people are prepared to view it.” Judge Watson QC said he felt it was in the public interest to impose a community order. “You are a man of previous good character and you admitted this offence from the start,” he said. “You have shown a genuine desire to recognise the issue you have. “Had the number of images been higher, I may not have been in the position to take the following course of action. “Michael Tyas, I am going to give you a community order for three years, with the requirement that you take part in the Northumbria Sex Offenders’ Programme. “I know it an extremely tough programme. It is not a light option, as you are about to find out.”