‘BORED’ DAD ACCESSED CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE IMAGES
MARRIED dad-of-two Nicholas Finney downloaded indecent images of children.
The 46-year-old became bored while off work and accessed a site where he became involved in sexual conversations about children.
Stoke-on-trent Crown Court heard he became ‘interested and aroused’ by the conversations.
Finney was sent indecent images by people he met, which he looked at before deleting them.
He admitted to police he became addicted to the images and the conversations.
Police examined his phone and found six indecent images of children at category A - the most serious - and 13 indecent images at category C.
Some pictures were of children aged 4
Now Finney has been handed a two-year community order.
Prosecutor Nick Tatlow said police arrested him at his workplace on July 14, 2020.
He went to Hanley police station two days later and was interviewed under caution. “He said he followed a suggestion he should use a chat site and he became involved in sexual discussions about children,” said Mr Tatlow.
“He said there were conversations about, and images sent of, the sexual abuse of children as young as four and he became addicted.”
Finney, of Prospect Terrace, Newcastle, pleaded guilty to two charges of making indecent images of children.
Jason Holt, mitigating, said the offences happened after Finney had an operation and was at home for eight weeks.
“He became bored and explored once more his sexuality,” Mr Holt told the court. “He is someone who is willing to access help.”
He said Finney’s wife is standing by him, but he has lost his relationship with his son and daughter.
Judge Paul Glenn sentenced Finney to a community order, including a 30-day rehabilitation activity requirement and a fourmonth electronically-monitored curfew from 10pm to 6am.
He told him: “A custodial sentence is merited but, frankly, any prison sentence would be very short indeed. In your case, I think there is a good prospect of rehabilitation.”
Finney has also been made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register, both for five years. He has also been barred from a range of activities involving children and vulnerable adults.