Police are considering giving seized photographs of children BACK to a convicted paedophile.

The man asked for the return of a memory card with snaps he took of youngsters in public.

The Paedophile On-Line Investigation Team wants Sussex Police’s solicitor to advise on whether to hand it over, sparking angry pleas from charities fighting child abuse.

Det Con Kenny Stark, of Brighton, tweeted: “Dilemma in POLIT office, male convicted of indecent images of children wants memory card (from his camera) back.

“Card contains (non-indecent) photos he took of children in public areas. Law books being consulted. Card was seized as potential evidence but no indecent images of children were found on it.

“They are legal images even though they’re not of his own children. It is a legal v moral dilemma.”

Sussex Police refused to identify the pervert but its solicitor said: “This topic relates solely to a policy question – the lawfulness and proportionality of police retention of non-indecent images held by a person convicted of indecent images offences.”

Street pastor Ian Chisnall, who stood for Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner, said: “Destroy the camera.

“Giving one with pictures of children back to a convicted paedophile is as bad as giving an alcoholic a bottle of whisky.

Read the full story at http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/sussex-police-considers-returning-paedophiles-2141808