Locations
Beverley Road, Hull, HU5 1LG
Description
He even tried to talk his way out of being jailed by claiming that he would give half of his future earnings to helping children's charities all over the world
A depraved collector of child pornography willingly distributed sickening images to others but later tried to pretend that he had no sexual interest in children at all.
Fast-talking and fired-up Maher Al-Shrida tried to brazen it out in court, even though he had been sent dozens of videos of children, and claimed that he had been "unlucky" and it had all been a "mistake". He was in "complete denial" and even tried to talk his way out of being jailed by claiming that he would give half of his future earnings to helping children's charities all over the world, Hull Crown Court heard.
Al-Shrida, 54, of Beverley Road, Hull, admitted three offences of making indecent images of children, two of distributing indecent images of children and one of possessing extreme pornography between January 28 and July 1, 2020.
He told the court: "My friends sent them to me. I did receive pornographic materials but I did not know that some of them were of children." Al-Shrida, who is Iraqi, admitted that he received batches of 30, 40, 60, 70 and 80 videos via a WhatsApp group.
"A friend of mine told me that he wanted videos of children under age so I searched my gallery and I sent one video to the person who asked for it," he said. "Other videos were sent by mistake. They were part of a big group which I forwarded. I wasn't aware some of the videos were of children.
"The reason I had them was that my friends used to send me 70 or 80 videos at a time. I used to send them back without realising that some of these videos were of children. It did happen on one occasion when a friend asked me specifically for a video of children and I searched the videos and I sent him this video.
"This was wrong and I am stupid to do such a thing. I regret what I have done and I have already paid the price. My wife has lost her pregnancy. I was unlucky. It's just me being unlucky. Had I not found the video, I would not have reached this point. I don't have any interest in children. Had I had any interest in children, I would have gone to the doctor to get help."
In a lively plea to be spared prison, Al-Shrida claimed that he would "dedicate" 50 per cent of his earnings to charities that "supported poor children all over the world to repent for my mistake".
Rachel Scott, mitigating, said that Al-Shrida accepted that he provided images for people who had a sexual interest in children. "He is clear that he doesn't have a sexual interest in children," said Miss Scott. "Some of the people who have asked him for pictures to be provided did have a sexual interest in children."
Al-Shrida travelled to this country in 2003 and had been a British citizen for 10 years. He was married and had a three-year-old son but had not had recent contact with him because of the court case.
Judge John Thackray QC told Al-Shrida: "I have no doubt whatsoever that you do have a sexual interest in children. It may be one that you are too ashamed to admit. The evidence that you gave lacked any credibility whatsoever. Possessing and distributing indecent images of children is a serious offence.
"It fuels child sexual abuse and the untold suffering and harm to children, who are abused and photographed and videoed being abused at or from a young age, and it causes adverse lifelong consequences to them. Those who possess and distribute indecent images of children for the gratification of others fuel sexual abuse.
"You are in complete denial. Any exercise in rehabilitation in the community would be pointless."
Al-Shrida was jailed for 16 months and was given a 10-year sexual harm prevention order. He must register as a sex offender for 10 years.