A Wirral dad caught with disturbing images of child abuse – including youngsters being beaten with a cane while sexually assaulted – was jailed today.
Paul Foster was found with 2,666 images and films depicting serious paedophilia when police raided his home in Wallasey last year.
The 58-year-old swapped passwords with a like-minded user to distribute the material.
Foster had clips of children as young as eight being sexually abused, with some videos lasting up to 55 minutes long, and others at least 20 minutes in length.
Liverpool Crown Court heard viewers could see the distress on the childrens’ faces as they were assaulted.
Foster turned to indecent images of youngsters when he was made redundant from his job of 33 years, his barrister Neil Howard said.
And, he added, the prosecution had alienated both his wife of 34 years and his son, who has twin children who have not seen their granddad for the past 12 months.
Foster, who admitted seven offences of making, possessing and distributing indecent images, was jailed for 28 months.
Judge Denis Watson, who agreed the defendant showed “shame and remorse” told him: “You made file sharing available and distributed it to another by providing your secure password.
“It is the offence of distribution which causes the greatest concern.
“This is a far more serious form of offence
“Boys and girls were abused unspeakably in the course of these video clips.”
Foster was given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, banning him from deleting his internet history or contacting children.
He was also found with images of extreme animal porn, along with indecent images of children ranging in severity – from Category A, the most serious, to Category C.
When officers searched his home last year, they found one his devices, a Samsung phone, in the bin, which was hidden there when detectives knocked on the door, the court was told.
A total of 20 electronic devices were seized as Foster, of Cliff Road, immediately admitted accessing vile images “for his own personal pleasure”.
His job loss had sparked a deep depression, the court heard.
An order was made for the indecent pictures and videos to be destroyed.
His lawyer Mr Howard added: “He is extremely remorseful and deeply ashamed of his actions.
“The last 12 months has been a period of reflection and soul searching.
“He has shown a disassociation from reality which viewing such material. He has now come to terms with the horrific nature of that material.”
Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/