An electronics student who emailed a pornographic picture to his friend accidentally sent it to everyone at his college whose surname began with 'C'.

Andrew Broadbent, 19, downloaded the image - of a romping couple - from the Internet at Norwich City College. As a prank, he sent the email to his mate, Daniel Connolly, and, by mistake, to dozens more.

The college's head of IT copied the image onto a disk and brought in the police.

Broadbent pleaded guilty to publishing an indecent image contrary to the Obscene Publications Act and was fined £200 and £80 costs.

Broadbent was unaware that emailing an obscene image amounted to publication, according to court reports. That's not altogether so surprising - he is studying electronics, not law. Or rather was studying electronics, as he has quit his course.

All in all, big sledgehammer cracks very small nut. ®