Pervert, 74, jailed after confessions during online chat
APENSIONER who chatted online about sexually abusing children has been jailed. Leonard Shobrook, 74, from Filton, took an indecent photograph of a girl aged five, Bristol Crown Court heard.
When he visited a Russian-based website online he declared to others his warped intentions about what he would like to do to youngsters – but the people he contacted turned out to be undercover UK police.
An investigation established he had the indecent photo and had also downloaded child abuse images.
Shobrook pleaded guilty to taking an indecent image of a child; three offences of making an indecent image; and arranging or facilitating a child sex offence.
Judge Martin Picton jailed him for two years. He told him: “I am absolutely sure this case can only be dealt with by an immediate period of custody. It is a terrible case.”
The pensioner was given a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order designed to stop him reoffending.
He was also told to register as a sex offender for 10 years and barred from working with children and vulnerable adults.
Gregory Gordon, prosecuting, said that Shobrook unwittingly chatted to undercover police online about his sexual interest in girls aged five to 11.
He spoke of what he would like to do to the apparent children and discussed about meeting them in the UK to carry out the abuse.
When arrested he told police he had been stupid, claiming it was all fantasy and he would never harm a a child.
A search of his electronic devices established he had some 2,000 indecent images deemed to be in the lowest abuse category.
James Haskell, defending, said: “He is utterly ashamed of what he has done.
“He says there can be no punishment more than he has inflicted upon himself.”
Mr Haskell said the offending was unsophisticated as his client had offended using his own mobile phone and email account.