Dad had thousands of child images
A MAN found in possession of thousands of vile images of children claimed the breakdown of his marriage lay behind his offending.
Peter Brown, aged 66, was at his home in Stockport when the police executed a search warrant, seizing multiple devices including computers, phones and laptops.
Following thorough analysis of the devices, Brown was found to be in possession of vile images of children, including 20 category A images - said to be the worst type.
The court heard there were also 98 category B images and 3143 category C images.
In the police interview he told officers he had resorted to watching indecent material following the breakdown of his marriage. He also claimed he didn’t download the images, but instead clicked on website links through social media site, Tumblr, which led him onto sites.
There was also evidence that he had searched for sentencing guidelines for child pornography offences, the court was told.
Appearing in the dock, Brown pleaded guilty to three offences of making indecent images of children.
He was sentenced to an 18 month community order, 150 hours unpaid work and ordered to sign onto the Sex Offenders Register for five years.
Brown has no previous convictions, the court was told.
In mitigation, his defence lawyer Richard Orme said: “He has to have intervention and there is work to be done.
“He does understand the harm caused.
“Two and a half years ago he admitted to the offences to the police, it’s taken two and a half years to charge him - all that time he has been concerned about his liberty. He has already served the equivalent of a five-year sentence.
“He has made a full confession to his family and has not sought to hide anything. He has been humiliated and is a proper candidate to be humiliated.”
Sentencing him, Judge Mark Savill said: “Your defence counsel has made submissions on what can be said for you.
“This weighs heavily against the abuse of young children. It’s vile, unforgivable and it’s criminal - you have played your part in that.
Brown, of Ernest Street, was also handed a one month curfew to stay at his address between 7pm and 7am and was made subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for five years.