September 2011

Child porn builder, 57, filmed youngsters and lived double life

A builder from Bristol led a double life for two decades spying on people, filming children and downloading a vast stash of child pornography.

For 20 years, Nigel Cook concealed a sordid collection of indecent images, many of which he obtained from the internet, Bristol Crown Court heard.

When Croatian authorities reported him to Avon and Somerset police, officers who searched his home in May last year found he had downloaded 200,000 images – of which 23,000 were analysed and found to be indecent.

Cook, 57, pleaded guilty to 21 charges of making indecent photos, seven charges of taking indecent photos, three of attempting to take indecent photos and four of voyeurism. He was jailed for 28 months.

The recorder Mr Christopher Parker QC told him: “You had, for many, many years, been leading a double life.”

The recorder handed Cook an indefinite sexual offences prevention order, banning him from having contact with, working, or living with under-16s. He also ordered him to register as a sex offender for 10 years.

Brendon Moorhouse, prosecuting, said that when Cook’s home was raided in May last year, his computer equipment and camcorder were seized.

When he was interviewed in December he said “no comment” to most questions and was given bail.

Mr Moorhouse told the court: “Police also realised there were a number of home-made videos amongst Mr Cook’s video equipment, showing a variety of locations and taken over a considerable period of time.

Mr Moorhouse said an example of one of Cook’s workplace videos was when he was sub-contracting at a sports club and filmed a young girl – accompanied by his commentary about her body.

When the police re-interviewed Cook he admitted making his own videos and said he found pubescent children attractive.