THE Chief Constable of Avon and Somerset has threatened to defy a High Court order requiring his police force to hand over a child pornography horde in the name of "common sense".

The force is holding 87 computer hard drives and about 2,500 indecent images of children in a probe into a possible a paedophile conspiracy.

The material was taken from the Leicestershire home of a discredited computer expert, who previously gave his opinion in court cases involving child pornography.

But before Avon and Somerset Police had a chance to examine the items, the 68-year-old expert obtained a High Court order preventing officers from proceeding with the investigation.

Two senior judges declared the warrant and seizure of the property unlawful and ordered police to hand back the hard drives – and forbade any examination of the disks.

Avon and Somerset Chief Constable Colin Port said on Saturday that the ruling went against all common sense – and said he may risk jail and refuse to comply.

Mr Port, who joined the force as chief constable in January 2005, told The Sun: "Clearly, defying the court is a serious matter and one that is not taken lightly.

"However, I take the view of what would the public expect me to do? They would expect me to stand up to it and I am now seeking legal advice and considering my position.

"We are looking at every option not to return this material.

"We don't know what's on these hard drives, but it is highly likely they contain indecent material going back to the 1990s. They were found with more than 2,500 hard copies of child abuse images and they must have come from somewhere.

"Common sense dictates to me that we shouldn't be returning indecent images to anyone – yet I am prevented from even examining the material."

If Mr Port refuses to hand back the material, he could find himself in contempt of court – and facing a custodial sentence.

A spokesman for Avon and Somerset Police added: "We are discussing the findings of the judicial review and any learning opportunities it presents to the organisation.

"Throughout this matter, our officers believed that they were acting with good intentions and in the interests of public safety and protection."

The computer expert at the centre of the controversy obtained notice of a Judicial Review, which effectively froze the police probe, after officers raided his home in Nevill Holt, Leicestershire.

His property was searched after he was convicted as a liar who exaggerated his qualifications. He was given a six-month suspended jail term for making false written statements, and perjury.