August 2013
Ex-BAE Barrow man jailed for indecent images of children offences
A MAN who accessed more than 13,500 indecent images of children has been sentenced to 16 months in jail.
David Taylor’s offending was brought to light when he showed one image to a friend visiting his flat. The friend then reported him to the police.
Taylor, 65, of School Street, Barrow, had pleaded guilty to 21 offences of making indecent images of children, between February 2010 and April last year.
Mr David Clarke, prosecuting at Preston Crown Court, said after the friend contacted police in April police went to the defendant’s flat and seized computer equipment.
A significant number of pictures and movie clips had been deleted after viewing. The ages of the children in the images ranged from what seemed to be three to 12 years.
More than 11,000 images had been at level one, the least serious category but there was also material at all the higher levels.
In police interview Taylor said he had clicked onto a chat room and an image had come up that day. He had showed that to his friend. It seemed that a live image was possibly being broadcast from Russia and he thought the girl was 16 to 18 years of age.
Mr Gareth James, defending, said Taylor realised he had behaved in a way that was completely unacceptable. He added: “He accepts fully that he is the author of his own misfortune.”
The defendant had worked in the Barrow shipyard, where he claimed it was quite common for top shelf magazines to be passed around among workers.
Mr James said: “In more recent years it seems he has turned to other sources and moved on from there. He has pleaded guilty to the offences at the earliest opportunity.”
In passing sentence, Judge Heather Lloyd told Taylor: “Each child in the still or moving image which you have seen has been taken, used and abused into performing sexual acts against their will for profit, for the sexual gratification of those performing the acts and for the sexual gratification of men like you, probably feeling safe and secure in your own home, not thinking you will ever be caught.”
Taylor will be on the sex offender’s register and subject to a sexual offences prevention order.
