Pontefract pervert searched for 'hot young girls' and downloaded child-abuse images

Officers went to the property of Peter Kitchen on Abbey Mews, Pontefract, in April of last year, Leeds Crown Court was told. They took his laptop away and analysed it, finding it contained several photos and videos.

Prosecutor Jade Edwards said one Category A image was found – the most serious – along with two Category B and 13 Category C. They also found 259 other images that “could have indicated a sexual interest in children”.

Evidence also found that 57-year-old Kitchen had searched out images, including terms such as “hot young girls”.

He was interviewed by police and gave no comments. He has no previous convictions and admitted three counts of making indecent images.

The matter the police originally attended his home for was not disclosed to the court, but was not pursued.

No mitigation was offered to the court about the indecent images after Judge Christopher Batty said he would not lock him up.

He told him: “You have led a blameless life but you have left your job and left your home and set up elsewhere to try to rebuild your life. Children are abused to create these images, but work can be done in your case.”

He gave him a four-month jail sentence, suspended for 12 months, and 40 rehabilitation days. He must sign the sex offender register for seven years and was given a five-year sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) to limit his internet use and permit police to visit his home and check on his devices without prior warning.