Nurseries boss had child-abuse images on his computer

A DIRECTOR of a chain of nurseries was caught with indecent images of children, a court heard.

Police found more than 200 child abuse images on the computer of James Hoyle, 31.

Hoyle was a director of the Happy Days chain of nurseries but the Manchester Crown court was told he had since resigned his post.

After executing a search warrant at his home in Didsbury in May last year, officers also found ‘what appeared to be children’s knickers and children’s bedding,’ said prosecutors. The court heard that Hoyle’s girlfriend said the underwear belonged to her.

Prosecutor Daniel Calder said that an analysis of the hard drive seized from Hoyle’s home found 217 indecent images.

They were mostly of category C, the least serious category. In some images, the child appeared to be aged between 13 and 15, the court was told.

Prosecutors said Hoyle had used ‘anti-forensic measures’ to remove internet browsing history.

He had also used ‘virtual devices,’ which suggested he wanted to use the internet without being identified, said Mr Calder. In an interview with police, Hoyle said in a statement that he had ‘mental health issues which require therapy and investigation.’

It added that his father and partner were monitoring his internet use, and that he was engaging with an independent organisation which worked with ‘individuals who are being investigated for this type of offence.’ The court heard that two of the pairs of underwear were found by police in a computer desk drawer, where the hard drive which contained indecent images was stored.

According to company’s website, Happy Days has six nurseries across Blackpool, Lytham-St-Annes, Poulton-le-Fylde, and Thornton-Cleveleys, reports LancsLive.

In a witness statement, Hoyle’s girlfriend said the underwear was hers. But Judge Anthony Cross QC said: “I am not going to accept that they are there for innocent purposes.”

The judge said that Hoyle has been undergoing therapy which seemed to be working.’ He said there was significant mitigation in the case, which allowed him to spare Hoyle jail.

Hoyle, who had no previous convictions, was sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for 12 months.

He was ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work, 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days and join a programme addressing sexual offending on the internet. Hoyle, of Crossway, Didsbury, pleaded guilty to two counts of making indecent images of children.