June 2020

Paedophile back in court over ‘grotesque’ child abuse videos

A paedophile from Holmfirth has avoided jail after being caught with an indecent video of a child.

Police found three videos of a child being abused when they checked Daniel Howes’ computer and phone in July 2018.

Leeds Crown Court heard he had been convicted of four counts of possessing indecent images of children two years earlier.

The 29-year-old was handed a suspended sentence today (Thursday) after the court was told he had successfully completed a course aimed at addressing his offending behaviour.

Prosecutor Howard Shaw said the videos were in category A – the most serious category. He said two of them were duplicates and one of them was inaccessible to Howes.

He said Howes had searched the internet for ‘schoolgirl’ and ‘Lolita’.

In his police interview, Howes said he may have looked at the video when he was at a low point and drinking heavily.

Howes, of Fairfields Road, Holmbridge, pleaded guilty to one count of making indecent images of a child.

The court was told Howes has completed a course aimed at addressing his offending behaviour and has not offended since.

Judge Neil Clark said he had ‘no idea’ why the case so long to come to court and he took into consideration the progress the defendant had made since the offence.

He said: “It is a grotesque offence.

“That child was being abused when that video was taken but that abuse continues when the video is looked it. It enhances the upset and emotional turmoil.”

Howes was handed a six-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, and ordered to complete a 15-day rehabilitation activity requirement and abide by an electronically-monitored curfew for three months.

He was also made subject to a seven-year sexual harm prevention order and placed on the sex offenders register for seven years.

Howes’ father was in court to support him during the sentencing.