Latest Offenders Carlisle

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A former Cumbria Police worker has been jailed for possessing and distributing indecent images of children.

David Robinson, 46, used his computer to hunt out images and videos of child sex abuse, Carlisle Crown Court heard.

His conversations with other paedophiles were of the "most sickening nature", Judge Peter Hughes QC said.

Robinson, of Waldegrave Road, Carlisle, was jailed for six years after admitting 20 counts of possession and distribution of indecent images.

The court heard how Robinson had offered to buy a child online in order to abuse them as well as decorating a room in his house for a child before applying to become a foster carer for young boys.

The hearing was also told a number of the images were of children as young as five and were of the most serious "Category A" type.

Judge Hughes said: "Robinson had presented one face to the outside world, another deeply unattractive one online."

Robinson was employed as a front counter worker at Cumbria Police when he was arrested last October. He was immediately suspended and left the force in January.

Det Insp Doug Marshall said: "This prosecution reflects the serious nature of the images which Mr Robinson was viewing and distributing.

"Images of this nature have been created via the suffering and abuse of children and they are criminal offences."

He was also ordered to sign the sex offenders' register and given a sexual offences prevention order for life.