A CHARITY has slammed the actions of a paedophile who was spared jail because he argued he would lose his place at a top city university.

Barry Shaw was this week spared a custodial sentence after he was found with child porn on his laptop.

But a judge handed Shaw a community order, after the 38-year-old claimed he would lose his spot at University of Southampton.

Children’s protection charity NSPCC did not criticise the sentence, saying it was up to the courts to deal with matters of justice.

But the charity has described Shaw’s actions as "disturbing".

A spokesperson said: “Shaw’s disturbing behaviour continues to fuel an awful online trade.

“The NSPCC wants tech companies, government and law enforcement to continue to work together to find solutions to the proliferation of online abuse images and cut this sickening material off at source.”

Six years ago Barry Shaw was jailed for two years after he fantasised about kidnapping toddler Madeleine McCann and downloaded thousands of horrific child sex abuse images.

He was caught by officers again in 2017, when he downloaded an image of a teenage girl, dressed in stockings and underwear before moving it to the recycle bin of his laptop.

He was convicted at Southampton Crown Court after admitting one count of making an indecent photograph of a child.

Judge Gary Burrell QC gave Shaw a 24 month community order and ordered him to do 15 days of rehabilitation requirements.