February 2020

Three bus drivers shamed as paedophiles

Three bus drivers have been shamed as paedophiles after they were caught sharing thousands of images of child abuse around their workplace.

Mark Proud, 44, Paul Kirby, 56, and David Burgess, 51, were arrested after police discovered more than 5,000 lurid pictures and movies of youngsters had been distributed around their depot.

Some of the images were the most serious A category and showed children aged as young as two being raped and involved in bestiality.

The three men insisted they were not part of a paedophile ring and said they had no sexual interest in children but at Minshull Street Crown Court, Manchester, a judge rejected their claims.

All walked free after being sentenced to eight months jail suspended two years and they were also made subject of Sexual Harm Prevention Orders for ten years which will ban them from working with children.

All three men have since lost their jobs with an unnamed bus company.

The investigation began in 2018 after police traced Kirby after a tip off he was viewing indecent images.

Prosecutor Rosemary Kavanagh said: “The images linked to Kirby were looked at by him and Proud. Kirby also mentioned Burgess and that’s how he was discovered. A number of devices were seized which contained indecent images.

”Regarding Burgess, police seized a video tower computer which contained two category A images, two category B images and 1847 category C images. A mobile phone was seized from him and on that was 2443 category C images which depicted primary school aged girls.

”Regarding Proud, a Samsung mobile phone was seized upon which were four category A images, two category A videos and five category B images which were of prepubescent children. There were downloads of the search term “Preteen Lolly”.

”Regarding Kirby, the police found a Lenovo laptop  with 353 category C images, 11 category A videos, two category C videos and 30 extreme pornographic images and videos, which were copied from a yellow USB stick also seized.

”They also found a Samsung mobile phone with 40 category A images, three category A videos, eight category B images, ten category C images and ten pornographic images, some described as begin sexual intercourse with animals. Some of the children were as young as two or three, male and female, some were aged between 2 and 4 and others between 12 and 14.

”The category B and C images included primary school aged females. A Lenovo laptop was seized with one category A video with a girl aged between eight and 10 as well as seven category A videos with females between six and eight. A mobile phone was seized with two category A images with a female aged between nine and 11.

”The yellow memory stick contained a total of 5126 images and nine indecent videos. Kirby told the police about the USB stick and it seemed it  was passed around all three defendants.

“He had become involved with Proud after sending indecent images on WhatsApp. Burgess had searched for the indecent images and ‘Proud requested them.

”Proud admitted searching a porn site for teen videos but denied intentionally viewing them. Kirby  accepts he was given the USB stick by Proud and transferred the images to another USB as it had a larger memory.

“This is not entirely a paedophile ring, but there seemed to be a process in regards to the files.”

Burgess, of St Johns Close, Romiley, Stockport, admitted making and distributing indecent photos between July and November 2017 and was also ordered to complete 260 hours unpaid work.

Proud, of Avon Bank, Bredbury, Stockport, admitted making indecent photos and was ordered to complete 280 hours unpaid work.

Kirby, of Market Street, Chapel en le Frith, Derbyshire, admitted making indecent images and possession of an extreme pornographic image and as also ordered to complete 250 hours unpaid work