Man who had sick pictures of kids on computer avoids jail

A MAN who had 1,500 sick images of children – but insisted he was NOT a paedophile.

40-year-old Neil Hornsby, who lived with his parents, was reluctant to accept he had a sexual interest in children.

He said he was gay and interested in adult pornography and only “occasionally” looked at images of underage youngsters.

Despite the sick catalogue of pictures, Hornsby, of Deedmore Road, in Wood End, was spared jail by a judge at Warwick Crown Court.

Prosecutor Mike Conry said that, in December last year as a result of information they had received, the police went to Hornsby’s home and seized his computer.

He said: “He was reluctant to accept his interest in children when the matter came to court. He entered his guilty plea on a basis, but there has been some movement on that.”

Mr Conry said that when Hornsby’s computer was examined, officers found 131 still and moving images classed as being in the worst category A category, showing children being subjected to sexual abuse.

There were 86 category B images and 1,399 images in category C, showing children in naked or indecent poses.

Elizabeth Power, defending, said: “There’s a pre-sentence report in which, in parts, he has been candid as to his deliberate downloading of these images over a considerable period of time, six years.

“He does derive some gratification from them. It’s often the case that people try to hide away from that, but he’s accepted it. It clearly is an addiction.

“He is 40 years of age and lives with his parents, and is somewhat isolated.

“Through that isolation, he spent more and more time online, and that’s where the addiction began. He knows he needs help.”

Sentencing Hornsby, Judge Richard Bond said: “Some of these were not just still images, but moving images of children.

“The guilty pleas arise out of a search warrant executed at your home, when your computer equipment was seized. “It is right to say they had been deleted, but those images remain on your hard drive, even though you’d deleted them.

“It is not a case of you downloading them in one go, but over six years. “Quietly behind closed doors, for your sexual pleasure, you downloaded indecent images of children over a long period of time. Each child shown on each image on your computer is the victim of sexual abuse.

“Your actions provide the oxygen to this vile trade. If you, and people like you, did not view these images many thousands of children around the world would not be sexually abused.”

Of the community order, the judge said it was the best way of reducing the risk Hornsby poses.

But he warned: “If you breach it, you will go to prison. This is your chance, I don’t give second chances.”

Hornsby was given a three-year community order, with a condition of taking part in a sex offender programme, after pleading guilty to three charges of making indecent images of children.

He was also ordered to register with the police as a sex offender for five years and to pay £550 costs.