Pervert caught with a sickening collection of child abuse images
A pervert caught with a sickening collection of more than 2,000 child abuse images that he viewed out of "habit" has kept his freedom.
Police found the vile pictures and movies downloaded onto a laptop and computer tower that were seized from Alan Passmore's home in Sunderland during a search on March 17, 2020.
Newcastle Crown Court heardtheimagesfeaturedchildren as young as five and some ofthoseshownweredisplaying "distress".
Passmore, who has never been in trouble before, admittedthreechargesofpossessing atotalof2,253indecentimages ofchildren,acrossallthreecategories of seriousness.
The 50-year-old also admitted having 21 pictures and moviesfeaturingextremepornography and two prohibited images of children.
The court heard over 300,000otherimagesfoundon thedeviceswerenotexamined.
Brian Hegarty, defending, told the court: "He accepts he has accessed this type of material for a number of years now.
"It was a long established and unattractive habit."
Mr Hegarty said the police arrival was what Passmore neededto"jolthimoutofalong established rut he was in" and he has co-operated fully with the authorities, while accepting "he needs to change".
ThecourtheardPassmore's home was targeted when news spreadabouthisoffendingand his windows were smashed.
Mr Hegarty said: "He has had to move out of that address and also lost the job he had held down for 30 years so his fall from grace is absolutely complete."
Judge Stephen Earl sentenced Passmore to two years’ imprisonment, suspended for two years, with rehabilitation andprogrammerequirements and £200 costs.
Passmore, now of no fixed address, must sign the sex offenders’ register and abide by a sexual harm prevention order for ten years.
The judge said the children whofeatureinsuchimagesare "severely victimised".
Leading the investigation, Detective Constable Stephen Gillibrand, gave a stark warningtothosewhodownloadand shareillegalcontentthatpolice will take action.
He said: "It is with thanks to the vigilance of our officers that Passmore will be strictly monitored under court order and I hope this serves as a warning to others that downloading and sharing indecent material in any capacity is a crime.”