March 2022

Pervert lorry driver caught with indecent images of children loses job

Pervert pensioner Antony Norcup has avoided prison after he downloaded indecent images of children as young as five being abused.

Police attended the 68-year-old’s Blythe Bridge home and seized his laptop and phone.

An analysis of the devices showed there were 54 indecent images of children, one extreme pornographic image, and one prohibited image.

The lorry driver had carried out searches, including ‘teen sex’, ‘pre teen hard porn’ and ‘bestiality’.

Now Norcup has been handed a two year community order at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court. It follows a police raid in June, 2020. The footage included children as young as five being abused.

Prosecutor Richard McConaghy said: “There were a number of searches on the laptop in relation to sex with animals.”

In his police interview, Norcup accepted the devices were his. He said he had looked for legal porn and would get images of children which he would delete. He said he was interested in gymnastics and fascinated about how the human body could be stretched.

Norcup, of Bridgewood Road, Blythe Bridge, pleaded guilty to three offences of making indecent images of children; possessing an extreme pornographic image; and possessing a prohibited image of a child.

The community order includes a 30-day rehabilitation activity requirement and 100 hours unpaid work.

Deputy Circuit Judge Paul Glenn said: “What worries me are the searches you carried out, ‘teen sex’, ‘pre teen hard porn’ and ‘bestiality’. I am also concerned you bought applications allowing you to access the dark web and to browse anonymously and conceal images.

“In interview you gave a nonsensical account. You claimed to have accidentally sourced child pornography. You said your interest was in gymnastics. You were searching for material to bring paedophiles to justice and you searched for animal sex out of curiosity

“In your pre-sentence report you continued to come out with even further ludicrous explanations. I make it plain that I sentence you on the basis that you sought out this material. The only inference is you did so for your own gratification and you do find children attractive. You are simply unable or unwilling to accept that.”

The judge said if he sent Norcup to prison he would serve no more than half the sentence.

“I can’t see it would help the public,” he said. “It is far better to ensure you do not re-offend by making a community order which will address your offending behaviour and punish you as well.”

Norcup was placed on the sex offenders’ register for five years and barred from a range of activities involving children and vulnerable adults. He was ordered to pay £670 costs.