A CHURCH today said it would welcome back a man who was jailed for downloading child porn and insisted: "Let he without sin cast the first stone."

But elders at Brierfield Baptist Church today moved to allay fellow worshippers' concern by insisting Richard Ianson had never had anything to do with the leadership of its youth groups.

Ianson, 22, who had attended the church as a youngster and had begun attending again before his arrest, was given a three month jail term after admitting five charges of making an indecent photos or pseudo photos of a child between December 1 last year and January 23.

He was placed on the sex offenders register for seven years after the court heard he had downloaded more than 200 child porn images from the internet.

Ianson, of Victoria Avenue, Brierfield, worked for Mid Pennine Arts, which promotes creative activities across East Lancashire, as a theatre lighting technician but was sacked when details of the offences were revealed.

But today, church elder and secretary David Leeming said: "Mr Ianson has never held office at our church but has attended recently on a Sunday by Sunday basis.

"Like anyone else, he is welcome to continue attending our church because none of us are good people, we are all in need of help and support.

"Jesus says 'Let he without sin cast the first stone' and none of us are in a position to do that.

"It isn't our job to forgive, but is not our job to reject people either. Forgiveness comes from God.

"We totally reject what he has done but if he wishes to attend church with us again, he is welcome too, just like everyone else."

Mr Leeming added: "We would stress that he has never held office at the church, and although he came to the church as a youngster as well, he has never led any of our youth groups.

"As soon as this situation emerged, he told us and we put the correct measures in place in accordance with our 'Safe to Grow' policy to protect youngsters.

"We certainly do not condone what has happened."

Ianson was arrested by police during Operation Nickel. The court was told the children in the pictures were aged between 10 and 14 and when police questioned him, he admitted he used the computer seized and nobody else did.

When police arrived, he said: "I've been expecting you." The court was told he had made no financial gain from the pictures.