A magistrate has praised the actions of a man who stole a wallet and two mobile phones, then turned himself in to police when he found images of what he thought was child pornography on one of the phones, a court has heard.

The man appeared in Ballarat Magistrates Court yesterday, where a suppression order was issued preventing his name from being published.

Upon learning the man's actions had led to child pornography charges being laid against a 46-year-old man, magistrate Michelle Hodgson said he needed to be congratulated.

“You did the right thing,” she said. “That kind of offending is very serious. You are to be commended for your conduct even though it placed you at jeopardy of losing your own liberty.”

The police prosecutor, Senior Constable Steve Kent, said the man had been in the supermarket car park on Little Bridge Street last October when he noticed a car window not fully wound up.

After stealing two mobile phones and a wallet from the vehicle, the man went to the Ballarat Police Station and said he was in possession of a memory card which possibly contained child pornography.

Senior Constable Kent said that despite being warned he may also be prosecuted for theft, the man said he wanted to hand himself in if it assisted police with such investigations. The man also faced charges over a vehicle he stole from outside a Ballarat flat last year.

The court heard that shortly after stealing the vehicle the man was caught speeding outside Ballarat.

Defence lawyer Mike Wardell said his client's honesty had led to a separate arrest and he deserved credit for this.

Ms Michelle Hodgson sentenced the man to one month in jail and fined him $400. “We don't want to discourage other like minded people to act in the manner you have,” she said.

The man pleaded guilty to seven charges including theft of a motor vehicle and theft.

The Courier