Ellesmere Port man found with indecent images and videos of children

Derek Pritchard, 52, of Parklands, Little Sutton, had previously pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity to downloading indecent images of children.

He also admitted possessing hundreds of indecent images of extreme pornography, namely images and videos involving bestiality.

Prosecuting at Chester Crown Court on Tuesday, February 6, Philip Clemo said police executed a search warrant at Pritchard's home address in January 18, 2023, seizing a black tower unit and a Samsung tablet.

The devices were analysed and a number of indecent images of children were found.

One was a video assessed as the most serious category - category A - while there were three still images assessed at category B, and a total of 17 images assessed as category C. There were also 325 images and six videos of bestiality.

Pritchard had no previous convictions.

The court heard in police interviews, Pritchard had accepted having some sexual interest in children but had denied knowledge of the images or search terms used to find them.

Defending, Richard Thomas said Pritchard had since shown a lot of candour and "could not have been more honest" with the probation service about his behaviour, accepting what he had done was wrong and needed to change.

Mr Thomas said Pritchard had led an isolated life for the last 12 years since splitting from his partner, living alone and with no hobbies, spending time looking for pornography.

He had since been diagnosed with severe depression and anxiety and, since talking to someone about his behaviour, found it "cathartic" and "a weight off his shoulders".

Recorder Mark Cooper, sentencing, said the defendant had not sought to blame anyone else for the images found on his devices, and there was no disputing that the starting point for such offences was a custodial term.

He added Pritchard had been assessed as a low risk of reoffending and the sentence could be suspended.

Pritchard was handed a 12-month sentence, suspended for two years, and ordered to complete up to 60 days of a rehabilitation activity requirement.

He was also handed a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order limiting his internet usage, and must sign the sex offenders register.

He must also pay £300 court costs.