THE sentencing of a 15-year-old who admitted possessing 178 indecent photos of children has been delayed.

The teenager, who cannot be named due to his age, had expected to be sentenced at Barnsley Magistrates’ Court yesterday after spending ten months on bail but District Judge Naomi Redhouse ruled out doing so due to expressing concerns about a pre-sentence report’s contents and a lack of involvement in court from social services.

The court was told they had ‘passed the baton’ onto the youth offending team, who were present at the hearing, but Ms Redhouse said it wasn’t in the youngster’s best interests to sentence without having a post-sentence plan in place.

He pleaded guilty to the charges of making indecent photographs of a child between January 1 and August 10 of last year on February 6.

The charges relate to 103 ‘Category A’ photos - which involve penetrative sexual activity - 31 non-penetrative Category B photos and 44 other indecent photos, known as Category C.

Ms Redhouse said: “There are two issues. One, there’s a statutory social duty in this case given the defendant’s age and two, the report’s writer wasn’t aware of his correct age.

“I am concerned as to whether I can sentence. He has been known to all services for a long time now, almost a year, but I don’t feel I’m ready to deal with this with what’s in front of me.

“It’s not in his best interests to sentence. The court can do its job, but it’s what happens afterwards and that’s the point. There’s a social duty here.”

Agencies including social services, the children and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS) and Barnsley Youth Offending Team - all of which have been working on the case since March - were criticised by Ms Redhouse, who adjourned the hearing until June 12 for another report to be compiled.

“I am sorry to him and his family, but I must say I am very disappointed in the multiple agencies’ lack of progress,” she added.

“We’re talking about a child in the community, so there must be social care concerns. They will be involved afterwards and I haven’t seen enough.

“It’s important that when the court’s involvement ends, agencies are all lined up and in place.”

Phil Drabble, from Barnsley Youth Offending Team, told Ms Redhouse that a more ‘thorough’ report will be put together and a meeting between relevant agencies will be arranged before the next hearing.

Kathryn Lill, the youngster’s solicitor, said: “He has been on bail for ten months and in that time has made extraordinary progress. He’s developed so much and he and his family have worked very hard together.

“They came into court today understanding the possible outcomes, which we had discussed previously, and we all want this brought to a conclusion.”