A convicted paedophile who hoarded more than 900 indecent images of children has been jailed for just over two years.
David Henderson, 30, of Exmouth Place, Bolton, Bradford, was caught with 931 images on a mobile phone he had been hiding from the police.
Just over 400 of the images, both still and moving, were at Category A, the highest level of seriousness.
Henderson has earlier pleaded guilty to six offences of the possession of indecent images of a child, as well as breaching a Sexual Offences Protection Order which was imposed in 2015 for similar offences
Prosecutor Heather Gilmore outlined how police had initially received intelligence connecting Henderson’s IP address with a Twitter account which had shared a Category B indecent image.
Further intelligence linked him to a Snapchat account where more indecent images were shared.
But a search of his home in September 2020, found nothing. A second search almost a year later resulted in a handful of images being found on a device, but it wasn’t until a further search in May 2022, that a hidden mobile phone was discovered.
A forensic examination uncovered 403 Category A images, 424 Category B images, and 104 Category C images.
Ms Gilmore said there was a high number of images and that they were of girls between the ages of four to 13. There were also searches on the phone consistent with looking for images related to familial incest sex abuse.
Judge Colin Burn said that the used of a hidden phone was in “full disregard” of the order made in 2015 and that this as “both deliberate and devious”.
His actions have “undoubtedly led to harm” he added, sentencing him to 26 months imprisonment.
He must also comply with notification requirements for the next ten years. A new Sexual Harm Prevention Order was also made.
The court had also heard that Henderson was convicted in October 2015 of four counts of distributing indecent images and six of making indecent images – more than 12,000 images in total.
He was also convicted of possessing 2,500 prohibited images and possessing six extreme pornographic images.
He was sentenced to a three-year community order, an indefinite sexual offences prevention order and ordered to register as a sex offender for five years.
June 2022
Convicted paedophile hoarded hundreds of indecent images of children
A convicted paedophile is behind bars awaiting a prison sentence for breaching a sex offender order by hoarding hundreds of indecent images of children.
David Henderson, 30, of Exmouth Place, Bolton, Bradford, is being held on remand in Leeds Prison after being caught with the images, many at Category A the highest level of seriousness.
Today, he pleaded guilty to six offences of possession of indecent images on May 24 last year. He had already admitted being in breach of a Sexual Offences Prevention Order imposed at Leeds Crown Court in October, 2015, for similar offending.
The latest series of offences includes both still and moving indecent images of children, with more than 400 at Category A, the most repugnant and abusive.
Prosecutor Jonathan Sharp said the offending breached the indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order made when Henderson was given a community order with supervision in 2015.
The court heard he had completed the three-year sex offender programme but gone on to do the same thing again.
Henderson’s barrister, Camille Morland, asked the court to proceed to sentence, saying he was realistic about the outcome.
But Judge Colin Burn said that an extended prison licence might be appropriate for a repeat child sex offender.
He asked the probation service to examine the issue of dangerousness when they speak to Henderson in prison.
The case was adjourned until July 20 for the report to be prepared.
Judge Burn told Henderson he was going to prison but the length and form of the sentence had yet to be determined.
A new Sexual Harm Prevention Order will be made but its length depends how long he is jailed for.
Henderson will stay behind bars until he is sentenced.
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