Locations
Now living in Southampton
Description
A builder pretended to be a 14-year-old girl called 'Tina' to discuss his perverted child sex abuse fantasies online, a court heard.
John Leigh, 55, used the pseudonym while downloading and sharing sick images from the internet.
He talked about his fantasies online with other perverts on forums and in chat rooms, sometimes dressing in female clothing himself.
Leigh, from Exmouth, downloaded 87 photos and movies of children being abused. Exeter Crown Court was told the abuse involved children as young as four.
The defendant admitted possessing and making indecent photos of children.
He was given a suspended sentence after the court was told he could be rehabilitated.
Prosecutor Ms Anita Noerr said the offences took place over a period of more than four years.
Police executed a warrant at the defendant's home in July 2017 after receiving information he had been distributing indecent images of children online.
After analysing his laptop and a memory stick they found 15 still and moving images in the most serious category.
He told police he had an addiction to pornography which had escalated to the point where he was sending and receiving child abuse images.
The prosecutor said he also sent 'pictures of himself in female items of clothing'.
The defendant is a man of previous good character. The judge read a number of references and letters of support, including from the defendant's family. A probation report said he was a 'realistic prospect of rehabilitation' and he was already working with a charity to change his behaviour. He also cooperated fully with police.
Judge David Evans expressed concern that CPS had not charged Leigh with distribution offences and the possessing and making charges 'may understate' his behaviour.
He told the defendant: "You admitted you were engaged in contact over a lengthy period of time with other like-minded individuals on the internet. You had adopted a pseudonym 'Tina' who you said to others was 14 years old and it seems you sought out contact to obtain sexual gratification and you shared with others pictures you had downloaded from the internet of girls of that age.
"It seems you all engaged in what I understand to be fantasy conversation about sexual contact. It seems your particular predilection amounted to dominating of you by other adults with an interest in pre-pubescent children."
The judge said it was the actions of Leigh, and people like him, which created demand for the filmed abuse of children.
But he said Leigh had 'sought help for his perverted thinking' and was seeing a counsellor.
The defendant, of Victoria Road, was jailed for 16 months, suspended for two years. He must do 30 days rehabilitation work with probation and made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 10 years. He must also pay £425 costs.