Pensioner obsessed with young girls – judge
A“DANGEROUS” paedophile who has been committing sexual offences for more than 30 years is “obsessed with young girls”, a judge has said.
Barry William Hollingsworth, 76, was branded a “significant and serious risk” to children as he was jailed.
The pensioner, who is banned from using the internet, was caught with indecent images of children aged between two and 12 on a tablet computer he was prohibited from having under a Sexual Offences Prevention Order.
Swansea Crown Court heard the 76-year-old had been convicted of 14 criminal offences – the first in 1962.
Judge Keith Thomas said: “There is no order in the community to stop you. You are a dangerous man.
“You are 76 years of age and have been committing sexual offences since you were 43.
“You’ve previously breached court orders and Sexual Offences Prevention Orders.
“This order was designed to deter you. It’s a seriously worrying and disturbing series of events.
“In my judgement you’re obsessed with young girls and are a significant and serious risk of harm.”
Hollingsworth has been given a fiveyear extended sentence comprising 27 months in custody and 33 months extended licence.
A new sexual harm prevention order has been imposed and a forfeiture and destruction order has also been made for the tablet after Hollingsworth pleaded guilty to breaching a SOPO and three counts of making indecent images of children.
Hollingsworth, of no fixed abode, was made subject to a SOPO in Chester Crown Court in June 25, 2009.
The order prevented him from having a tablet in his possession or from using the internet.
But he was caught with a tablet computer earlier this year and police found it contained 24 indecent images of children aged between two and 12 which had been downloaded from the internet.
Mitigating, Jon Tarrant described his client as an “isolated individual.”