Man spared jail for abuse images
A MAN has been spared prison for possessing more than 9,000 “disgusting” images of children – including those showing the abuse of babies.
David Carey pleaded guilty to 13 offences including downloading, possessing and distributing indecent pictures and videos of youngsters.
Hundreds of them were classed as category A – the most serious.
One offence was for the possession of extreme pornographic images, involving sexual activity with an animal, while another was for possessing an indecent cartoon.
At Newcastle Crown Court, it was said the images were found after a search at Carey’s home in Langdale Close, Longbenton, in February.
Police found the photos and movies on his laptop and two mobile phones.
Prosecutor Kevin Wardlaw said the defendant had come into contact with “people of similar interest” on the internet and had downloaded the pictures and videos as well as distributing some of them.
The court heard Carey, 34, who lives with his mum, had started off viewing adult pornography on the internet but had moved on to child pornography.
Robin Patton, for Carey, said the defendant was of low risk. He added: “He is somebody who has lived his life vicariously through a computer. He has not sought to meet or have a relationship with a child.”
A psychiatric report was put before the court, though its details were not read out. After reading the report, Recorder Andrew Dallas sentenced Carey, who had no previous convictions, to two years in prison – suspended for two years. He told the defendant: “You might imagine yourself in the privacy of your own home and your computer not harming anybody, in the sense that you are not touching anybody. But people like you perpetrate the abuse of children by encouraging others to commit abuse, photograph it and put it on the internet knowing there will be people like you who want to view it and download it.”
However, Recorder Dallas said Carey had made progress over recent months and had not reverted back to viewing illegal images.
He imposed a two-year supervision requirement, with a rehabilitation activity, and ordered him to take part in a sex offenders programme. In addition, a 10-year sexual harm prevention order was made and Carey was also ordered to keep police informed of his address.