Paedophile who shared child and animal abuse images avoids immediate jail

A paedophile who downloaded and shared vile images of child abuse and bestiality has been spared immediate custody
Davies had downloaded hundreds of vile images and videos.Davies had downloaded hundreds of vile images and videos.
Davies had downloaded hundreds of vile images and videos.

Andrew John Davies, 53, was caught out after police were alerted to suspicious internet activity linked to a property on Gargave Place in Wakefield, Leeds Crown Court was told.

He was then tracked to a new property on Pontefract Road, Featherstone, with police visiting the address in March last year.

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Prosecuting, Catherine Duffy said they seized a laptop and an external hard drive on which they found more than 180 images and videos of child abuse, many of which were classed as Category A - the most serious.

They also found more than 475 images of extreme pornography, some of which involved sexual acts with animals.

During interview he initially denied the offences, before confessing.

Officers found hundreds of online searches he had made looking for the abuse and it also found that he had downloaded software to share files with other perverts.

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Davies, now of Queensway in Melksham, Wiltshire, admitted 11 counts of making indecent images and three counts of possessing extreme pornography.

Mitigating, Caroline Abraham said Davies had spent the majority of his life as a law-abiding citizen and had no convictions relevant to this offending.

She said he had also looked into seeking professional help.

She added: "There's a lack of insight into what has driven him to access these images.

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"He has the motivation to gain a better understanding of his offending.

"There's a realistic prospect of rehabilitation."

Recorder Tahir Khan QC said: "I'm persuaded that there is an alternative to custody.

"You have taken steps to address your offending behaviour."

He gave him 14 months' jail, suspended for two years.

He also made him the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) for 10 years, which will seek to monitor his internet use.