Locations
Vulcan's Lane, Workington, Cumbria, CA14
Description
A CONVICTED sex offender used specialist software to turn his phone 'incognito' and downloaded illegal images of children.
Carlisle Crown Court heard of Lloyd James Christopher Ditchburns disturbing past as he was sentenced on Tuesday for fresh offences.
In 2014 as a juvenile, Ditchburn was punished for distributing indecent images of youngsters.
Then, in 2020, came a conviction for making more perverted pictures and outraging public decency as he committed a crime known as 'up-skirting'.
On September 1, 2021, there was a routine meeting between him, his probation officer and a detective constable tasked with risk monitoring, prosecutor Brendan Burke said of the latest crimes.
The officer asked him for his phone, opened it and it immediately became clear he was running incognito software.
This was in breach of a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) imposed for past crimes.
So, too, was 24-year-old Ditchburns use of social media specifically a platform used by children as it had no age requirements.
Initially in interview, he spoke of 'accidentally' switching on the incognito mode. He then started making very full admissions, said Mr Burke. He said police monitoring software on his phone had crashed.
That gave him the confidence, effectively, to start doing what he wanted, including installing the incognito software.
The police monitoring software reactivated itself but he found a way to disable it. He went on to say he was using it to access the (social media) platform, in particular a group called schoolgirls 12 to 18.
He further admitted distribution and exchange of images, added Mr Burke. He ended the interview by saying that he needed serious help.
Ditchburn, of Vulcans Lane, Workington, had further downloaded two indecent images of children classed in category A the most serious and eight in category C. He admitted two SHPO breaches and making the illegal pictures.
Anthony Parkinson, defending, said Ditchburn had been in custody since September but hadnt begun rehabilitation work due to the pandemic. He was willing to engage.
But Judge Nicholas Barker noted that previous offers of help had not been taken, and jailed him for 32 months. It is clear to me that you have an underlying and deeply unhealthy attitude to children as objects of sexual desire, said the judge.
Ditchburn must now sign the sex offenders register for life.