Convicted Castleford paedophile who downloaded abuse pics given another rehab course rather than jail

Pervert James Carpenter was given a chance for rehabilitation by a court in 2010 when he was ordered onto a sex offenders programme.

This week he was given another chance to enrol after the judge said the courses were now “different”.

Carpenter, 53, appeared at Leeds Crown Court this week where he admitted three counts of possessing indecent images of children.

Information had been received by police in March 2021 that a Kik account linked to Carpenter’s email address was being used to download the vile images.

They went to his home address on Hunt Street in Castleford weeks later, arrested him and seized two Samsung mobile phones and three Amazon tablets.

On inspection, they found 10 Category A images – the most serious – two Category B and one at Category C.

He denied the offences during his first interview with police, but a month later during a second interview, confessed, and admitted his sexual interest in children.

Prosecutor Matthew Moore-Taylor said Carpenter had two convictions for seven offences, all relating to his court appearance in 2010. On that occasion he was caught after he took his laptop to a repair shop.

He was still subject to a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO), designed to limit his internet access, when he committed his latest offences.

Appearing without representation, he told Judge Christopher Batty: “I just want help and guidance of professional people.”

He was handed a 12-month jail sentence, suspended for two years, ordered onto another offenders programme and given a new 10-year SHPO.