Lifeguard spared jail over extreme porn offences

A swimming pool lifeguard has lost his job after uploading debauched sex pictures.

David Noakes told police officers he had stored the images on Instagram because he got a thrill getting followers.

The 23-year-old’s home in Cobfields, Chart Sutton, was raided after Instagram alerted police about the images.

Noakes, who has since moved to Trinity Square, Margate, immediately admitted what he had done and asked for help.

Now a judge at Canterbury Crown Court has taken mercy and spared Noakes a jail sentence.

Instead, the former lifeguard was given a three year community order and will carry out 80 hours of therapy.

Judge James O’Mahony urged him to “stay away from the dark net because one wonders what problems young people who indulge in this kind of activity are storing up in the future.”

Prosecutor Don Ramble told how Noakes, who admitted three offences including possessing extreme pornography and indecent photographs, was arrested when police were alerted by Instagram.

“They reported to police that one of their users had uploaded illegal images and a trace had led back to Noakes.”

Police went to his home near Maidstone but by then he had moved to Margate where he was living with a partner, who had no knowledge of Noakes’ activities.

“He immediately admitted he had been viewing the images and had been doing so twice a week or more.

“He said he had uploaded the images on Instagram because he liked getting followers on the site. He got sexual gratification from the images but more gratification knowing people were following him.

“One of the images he had viewed was of a dog and a teenager having sex,” he added.

John Barker, defending, said Noakes had lost his job as a result of his arrest, although there was no suggestion his illegal activities ever took place at the leisure centre where he worked as a lifeguard.

“He has expressed his sincere remorse and regrets,” Mr Barker added.