An Ipswich man who was jailed more than a decade ago for slashing a prostitute’s throat and sexually assaulting her has been given a suspended prison sentence for downloading child porn.

Before Ipswich Crown Court on Thursday (Feb 7) was Christopher Ridyard, 57, of Irlam Close, Ipswich, who admitted three offences of making indecent images of children between November 29, 2017, and January 17, 2018.

The court heard that in 2004, when Ridyard was 43 and living in Motram Close, Ipswich, he was jailed for five years after he admitted wounding a 30-year-old prostitute with intent to cause her grievous bodily harm and indecently assaulting her.

On that occasion Ridyard paid the woman £20 to have sex with her after she approached him as he walked in the Portman Road area of Ipswich in November 2003.

Ridyard demanded that she have sex with him without a condom and when she refused he slashed her across the throat with a craft knife.

The woman saw she was bleeding and started screaming and there was a violent struggle between them, during which Ridyard repeatedly thrust the knife towards her.

The court heard that Ridyard tried to have sex with the half naked woman, who suffered a 10 centimetre long, two millimetre deep neck wound.

She managed to run towards Alderman Road screaming for help to a passer by and a doctor later described the wound to her neck as being dangerously close to the jugular vein.

Joanne Eley, prosecuting, in the indecent images case, said nine of the images were in the most serious level A category, six were at level B and 18 were in the lowest level C category.

Ridyard was given an eight month prison sentence suspended for 24 months and order to take part in an accredited programme and a 35 rehabilitation activity order.

He was also made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order for five years and ordered to sign the sex offenders register.

Sentencing Ridyard, Deputy Circuit Judge Andrew Goymer, said he had a previous conviction for a serious sexual offence against a prostitute during which he had indecently assaulted her and subjected her to serious violence.

However, he said that apart from the current offences Ridyard had not reoffended since his release from prison in 2006 and was not in the best health.