A paedophile dad from Warrington, who was caught with a disgusting haul of child porn images and sexualised chat log messages, was described by a Crown Court Judge as having “an obsession with the physical abuse of children by spanking.”
Police interviewed 56-year-old Terry Jones from Winwick, Warrington after finding the incriminating material on his laptop and mobile phone and he admitted “he was interested in the spanking of children”, a court heard today. (Tue)
As well as photographs and cartoon images of child abuse he was also found to have two images of extreme porn on his laptop involving women having sex with a horse and a dog.
Jones, of Waterworks Lane pleaded guilty to six offences involving making indecent images, possessing pseudo images of children and two of possessing extreme porn.
Stuart Mills, prosecuting, told Liverpool Crown Court that police raided Jones’ home on April 4 last year after receiving information about the use of his electronic devices.
He said, “It’s me, I was looking at cartoons”. He was arrested and his home was searched. His Dell laptop and Samsung phone, both found in his bedroom, and an external hard drive, located in a downstairs cupboard, were seized and sent off for forensic analysis.
When interviewed “he largely answered no comment other than to say the chat was fantasy,” said Mr Mills.
The forensic analysis revealed 119 indecent photographs of children on his laptop, 111 in the lowest category; two of extreme porn and 329 prohibited images. His phone contained two indecent images and there were two prohibited images on the hard drive.
Mr Mills explained that prohibited images are computer-generated pseudo-images and cartoons of child abuse.
A series of chat logs was found on his mobile phone using the Trillian app involving 11,000 images.
“A search revealed sexualised conversations relating to the spanking of children but there are no suggestions of any meetings,” said Mr Mills.
Jim Smith, defending, said that Jones, who has no previous convictions, “pleaded guilty to the earliest opportunity and he is very very sorry for his offending.”
The impact of his offending only came home to him after his arrest and “having to face his demons.”
He has voluntarily contacted the Lucy Faithfull Foundation for help and is disgusted with his offending. “He has had social isolation and lacks social contact and that perhaps stokes his predisposition to fantasy fetishes.”
Mr Smith said that he suffered “terrible losses” 20 years ago with the death of his wife to leukaemia and the death of one of his twin children. He had to bring his daughter up on his own though was helped by his sister-in-law.
“He hopes to continue to try to ensure that any unhealthy predisposition is assisted by the probation service and their continued support.”
Jones is working and supports his father and continues to provide for his daughter who is doing her Masters degree studying disability studies, added Mr Smith.
Judge David Potter said that the chat logs reveal Jones has “an obsession with the physical abuse of children by spanking.”
He said that he accepted that the defendant has expressed genuine remorse and has begun rehabilitation work to ensure he does not repeat his behaviour.
The judge pointed out that some of the children shown in the images were very young and such abuse has a profound impact, possibly for life, on the victims and people downloading the images fuels the abuse.
He sentenced Jones to eight months imprisonment suspended for two years and ordered him to carry out 35 days rehabilitation activities. He also ordered him to carry out 100 hours unpaid work and pay £425 prosecution costs.
Jones has to sign on the Sex Offenders Register for ten years and a Sexual Harm Prevention Order was imposed for the same length of time.
Terry Jones pictured outside Liverpool Crown Court
