PERVERT BUS DRIVERS HAD THOUSANDS OF CHILD ABUSE PHOTOS
JUDGE REJECTS MEN’S CLAIMS THEY HAD NO SEXUAL INTEREST IN CHILDREN
THREE bus drivers have been shamed after they were caught sharing thousands of images of child abuse around their workplace.
Mark Proud, 44, Paul Kirby, 56, and David Burgess, 51, were arrested after police discovered more than 5,000 pictures and movies of youngsters had been distributed around their depot. Some of the images were the most serious A category and showed children aged as young as two being raped and involved in bestiality.
The three men insisted they were not part of a paedophile ring and said they had no sexual interest in children but a judge rejected their claims.
All walked free after being sentenced to eight months jail, suspended two years, and they were also made subject of Sexual Harm Prevention Orders for 10 years which will ban them from working with children.
They have since lost their jobs with an unnamed bus company.
The investigation began in 2018 when police traced Kirby after a tipoff he was viewing indecent images.
Prosecutor Rosemary Kavanagh told Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court: “The images linked to
Kirby were looked at by him and Proud. Kirby also mentioned Burgess and that’s how he was discovered. A number of devices were seized which contained indecent images.
“Regarding Burgess, police seized a video tower computer which contained two category A images, two category B images and 1,847 category C images. A mobile phone was seized from him and on that was 2,443 category C images which depicted primary school-aged girls. “Regarding Proud, a Samsung mobile phone was seized upon which were four category A images, two category A videos and five category B images which were of prepubescent children. There were downloads of the search term ‘Preteen Lolly.’ “Regarding Kirby, the police found a Lenovo laptop with 353 category C images, 11 category A videos, two category C videos and 30 extreme pornographic images and videos, which were copied from a yellow USB stick also seized. “They also found a Samsung mobile phone with 40 category A images, three category A videos, eight category B images, 10 category C images and 10 pornographic images, some described as being sexual intercourse with animals.
Some of the children were as young as two or three, male and female, some were aged between two and four and others between 12 and 14.
“The category B and C images included primary school-aged females.
“A Lenovo laptop was seized with one category A video with a girl aged between eight and 10 as well as seven category A videos with females between six and eight. A mobile phone was seized with two category A images with a female aged between nine and 11.
“The yellow memory stick contained a total of 5,126 images and nine indecent videos. Kirby told the police about the USB stick and it seemed it was passed around all three defendants.”
She added: “This is not entirely a paedophile ring, but there seemed to be a process in regards to the files.’’
Burgess, of St Johns Close, Romiley, Stockport, admitted making and distributing indecent photos between July and November 2017 and was also ordered to complete 260 hours of unpaid work.
Proud, of Avon Bank, Bredbury, Stockport, admitted making indecent photos and was ordered to complete 280 hours of unpaid work.
Kirby, of Market Street, Chapel en le Frith, Derbyshire, admitted making indecent images and possession of an extreme pornographic image and was also ordered to complete 250 hours unpaid work.
In mitigation for Burgess, Patrick Williamson said: “This was an unwelcome blip in his life. He has cared for his elderly mother who has now passed away. He intends to seek employment as a HGV driver.”
For Proud, Steven McHugh said: “He is a single man living with one of his children. Mr Proud is not very happy with the situation he is in. My client became embroiled in this and it’s something he should not have done. He has no sexual interest in children.’’ For Kirby, Thomas McKail said: “He has a 25-year-old daughter but has lived an isolated life. Perhaps this was wanting to be part of a group which led him to relax his judgement and discipline.”
But sentencing, Judge Tina Landale said: “As a group of people who know each other, you shared an interest in children in a sexual way. Each of you protest you don’t have a sexual interest in children, but I dismiss and reject that assertion.”
Each of you protest you don’t have a sexual interest in children, but I dismiss and reject that assertion Judge Landale