A sex offender who went on the run after he was caught with indecent photographs of children was given a suspended jail sentence.
Krzysztof Zawada, 48, spent over 15 months at large after failing to appear at Boston Magistrates Court in March 2024.
Lincoln Crown Court heard Zawada was arrested after being found living in a tent near Southampton on August 12 this year.
The court was told Zawada had been ordered to register as a sex offender for seven years in 2017 after he received a six week suspended jail sentence for having indecent images of children.
As part of that sentence Zawada was ordered to disclose the address where he was living in Jubilee Close, Spalding.
The court heard police recovered further indecent images of children from Zawada when they seized two of his mobile phones during visits to his Spalding home in November 2022 and January 2023.
In total there were 25 images in the most serious category of A, 44 category B photographs and 331 category C images.
The images depicted girls aged between 4 and 15 years, the court was told.
A warrant was issued for Zawada’s arrest after he failed to appear at Boston Magistrates Court on March 27 last year when charged with the new offences.
Investigations showed Zawada had vacated his Spalding address at the end of March 2024.
Following his arrest in Southampton, Zawada pleaded guilty to three charges of possessing indecent images of children and two counts of failing to comply with the requirements of a sex offender notification.
Neil Sands, mitigating, said Zawada had “panicked” after being charged with the new offences and confirmed he was found living in a tent near Southampton.
Mr Sands told the court Zawada made frank admissions about his interest in children to the police in interview and had now spent four months on remand in custody.
Passing sentence Judge Simon Hirst said Zawada’s offending passed the custodial threshold but added that he showed genuine remorse and admitted his feelings of curiosity during his probation interview.
Judge Hirst told the court: “I am satisfied there is a good prospect of rehabilitation, baring in mind he has already spent four months in custody.”
Zawada was sentenced to 16 months imprisonment suspended for two years and must also complete 100 hours of unpaid work and 40 rehabilitation activity requirement days.
He was also made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order which will last for ten years.
