A man imported a 3ft child sex doll from China, dressed it in underwear and hid it under his bed.

Officers raided Laurence Tomlinson’s home in Middlesbrough and found the “lifelike” doll in a cardboard box under his bed in December 2018.

He claimed “he didn’t know anything about it” during the search.

The 30-year-old had it shipped from Hong Kong after asking an online company if it was illegal in August 2018.

Judge Stephen Ashurst told Teesside Crown Court it was not illegal to possess the doll but a criminal offence had been committed by importing it into the UK.

The doll had the characteristics of a child's body of around the age of three, the court heard.

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Indecent images were also found on Tomlinson's electronic devices and he had searched for indecent images of children on the internet.

Tomlinson pleaded guilty to five charges including importing goods, possessing indecent images of children and prohibited images of children.

Andrew Turton, mitigating, described his client as a well educated young man with a master's degree.

He also added that Tomlinson is registered as disabled, due to curvature of the spine, and also suffers from anxiety, depression and suspected autistic traits.

"A spell in prison would be devastating," he added.

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Prior to sentencing, Judge Ashurst referred to the case of Crewe man Andrew Dobson in 2017 who imported a child-like sex doll – which police said was the first case of its kind in the UK.

He described Tomlinson as a "loner" who has "no social life" with much of his life taken up online.

Judge Ashurst added that none of the indecent or prohibited images were moving images or video clips. He also said that there is no evidence of the images being shared or distributed.

He said: "You have acknowledged a sexual interest in children between six and eight years.

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"But there is no evidence you have sought out contact with real children."

He sentenced Tomlinson to a total 14 months imprisonment, suspended for two years.

He was given eight months sentence for the prohibited and indecent images and six-month consecutive sentence for the importation of the child sex doll.

Judge Ashurst ordered Tomlinson to complete 35 rehabilitation activity requirement days and made him subject to a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years.

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