GRASSINGTON businessman Joe Azzopardi will have to move house after admitting the making of indecent images, Skipton magistrates were told.

So great was the impact on his and his wife Elizabeth's business that he felt he could no longer continue living in the place where he had lived for ten years, the court heard on Friday.

Azzopardi, 65, last month admitted three charges of making indecent photographs of a child at his home in Summers Fold in 2004 and in 2013, and one of possessing extreme pornographic image involving an animal in 2013.

On Friday, he was given a two-year community order with supervision including taking part in a sex offenders group programme. He will also go on the sex offenders register for five years and be subject to a sexual offenders prevention order, also for five years.

The court heard that the four images, varying in nature, had been found on electrical devices owned by Azzopardi by police as a result of receiving information.

Azzopardi, a man of previous good character, who was accompanied to court by his wife, was deeply ashamed, the court heard.

In mitigation, Scott Mclaughlin said the fallout from the court case had been devastating on the business with a massive financial impact not only on him but also his wife.

"He feels deep shame not only for himself, but for what he has put his wife through," he said.

"He has been a person of impeccable character and the loss of that character is quite a thing, especially with this type of conviction.

"He feels he can no longer live here and will have to move."

Mr Mclauglin, who repeated his argument that it was a simple case of possessing indecent images, asked that the magistrates to show mercy.

He said it had been a temporary 'medical condition' that had led his client to offend and pointed out that he had pleaded guilty at his first appearance in court.

Azzopardi will also have to pay a victims surcharge of £60 and costs of £85. Magistrates also agreed to the confiscation of computer equipment, including an Apple i-pad and two laptops.