Brid engineer exposed as pervert

Christopher Walton, 27, led a double life as a respectable electrical contractor while downloading sick images of children to fuel his unnatural lust.

Walton was caught after he dropped a mobile phone outside his flat in Bridge Street, Bridlington. A passerby picked it up only to find indecent images of children.

Police traced Walton and when they raided his flat - in December last year - found a tower computer he had built loaded with a library of sick images collected over two years.

He told a probation worker his interest in adult porn followed his long-held interest in child pornography which went back 10 years.

Walton appeared at Hull Crown Court for sentence (Thursday April 7) after pleading guilty to two charges of possession or making indecent images and one charge of possession of extreme pornography. The later carries a maximum of a three-year prison sentence.

Crown barrister Stephen Welch said police were not able to access the phone but recovered the images from his hard drive. He said there were 184 images in the worst category A; 202 images in category B and 860 in category C.

He said there were 138 movie images in category A; 88 movies in category B and 26 movies in category C.

“There were one or two very young children, but most were of children aged between nine and 12,” said Mr Welch. “His account was his interest was brought about by accident. His interest had been in adult porn and having come across these images his interest peeked.

“His assertion in his pre sentence report is that he was not doing this with a sexual motive is not accepted by the Crown.”

Defence barrister Stephen Robinson said because he was a man of previous good character the judge should not jail him: “He is a young man with some problems.

"He accepts there maybe something wrong with him. While he is somewhat reticent in his pre-sentence report he does appreciate how serious this is. He is a socially isolated young man.

"There are problems with his family, but he is still in contact with his mother. If he is imprisoned he will lose his job and lose his property.”

Sentencing Judge Kate Buckingham said the most worrying aspects of the case were the moving images and those in Category A.

“I cannot ignore the fact children, especially younger children were exploited in the creation of these images," said Judge Buckingham. “You told the probation officer you knew that if there were not people who looked at them, then this would not happen.

“These are not just isolated images. The age range goes down to two years old. I have to take a view that only a custodial sentence is appropriate.”

Walton was given a six-month prison sentence and a Sexual Offences Prevention Order. He must also sign on the National Sex Offenders’ Register for seven years.

The phone and computer seized by the police will be destroyed.