'Lonely' paedophile with abuse images ‘in denial’

A ‘LONELY’ man in denial after he was caught with sick child abuse photos was spared jail for his crimes.

Cosham paedophile Gareth Warnock, 47, was busted by police with around 650 indecent images of vulnerable children found on devices at his home address on November 18, 2019.

Despite being ‘unforthcoming’ when telling officers he did not have any indecent pictures, Portsmouth Crown Court heard how Warnock’s lieswereexposedafterhewas found with 148 Category A images, 126 Category B and 369 Category C.

Most of the images were of children aged between five and eight years of age, the court was told.

Warnock, of Havant Road, still continued to deny the offencesuntilchanginghismind on the day his trial was due to start.

Headmittedthreecharges of making indecent photos of children.

The pervert was given a caution in 2008 for a similar offence.

ColinMcCarraher,defending, said of single man Warnock: ‘He’s a lonely fella who has suffered with depression and general illness.

‘Heisamanwhotooksome time to come to terms with what he has done. His (guilty) pleas shows he accepts what he has done is wrong and he knows it has to stop.’

Thebarrister,arguingfora suspended sentence, said the defendant was ‘fit for treatment’. He added: ‘He’s clearly a man with some difficulties who is struggling to accept what he has done.’

RecorderGordonBebbQC said the offence had ‘crossed the custody threshold’ before highlightingWarnock’sprevious foray into child abuse pictures. ‘It is not the first time you have been involved with the court for this sort of offence,’ he said.

‘The age of the children betweenfiveandeight-makes themvulnerable.Youaremore in denial than anything else.’

Warnock was given a reprieve from jail and was instead handed a 21-month jail termsuspendedfortwoyears.

He has to complete the Horizon sex offenders programme, complete 30 rehabilitation days and was given anindefinitesexualharmprevention order.

He will also have to pay a surcharge while an order was made to destroy the devices the images were found on.