Ross Morton 31

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A NHS computer expert downloaded sick indecent images of children a second time during "extraordinary" delays in his case when police lost evidence.

Ross Morton was arrested as long ago as 2014 for having the illegal material but his case went off into the long grass when "exhibits went missing".

The evidence was later found by Northumbria Police but by that time Morton had gone on to offend again in the same way.

Now, after a further three year delay - and seven years after his initial arrest - he has finally been brought to justice.

However a judge hit out at the "extraordinary amount of time" it had taken the authorities to prosecute him.

Newcastle Crown Court heard it was in December 2014 that police went to his then-home in Sunderland and found hundreds of indecent photographs and movies on his mobile phone, featuring children as young as four.

He had also used search terms indicating he was seeking out such material.

He was released under investigation and then interviewed again in 2016 and asked about disturbing chats police found on the Kik platform, including reference to film of a six-year-old engaged in sexual activity.

Andrew Findlay, prosecuting, said Morton told police it was just role-playing and he faces no charges in relation to that activity.

He was released under investigation again and nothing happened until police went to his home in Longbenton, North Tyneside, in July 2018.

His equipment was seized and hundreds more indecent images were found, including some of the most serious kind and featuring children as young as four and five.

Mr Findlay said: "He was interviewed again and admitted accessing indecent images through the dark web as a result of the previous police investigation.

"He said he had not known the dark web existed until that point and said he was searching out of curiosity.

"He said he wanted to be more informed about what he was being investigated for and said it made him physically sick and not aroused."

Morton, 28, of Station Road, Gosforth, Newcastle, pleaded guilty to six counts of making indecent images of children and possessing an extreme pornographic image and was sentenced to 18 months suspended for two years with 150 hours unpaid work. He must also do a sex offenders treatment course and will be subject to sex offender registration and a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years.

Recorder Jamie Hill QC told him: "The fact is children who are photographed or filmed are essentially being abused.

"The creation of those images is fuelled by the market of people who want to view them."

The judge added: "I'm struggling to understand how this has taken so long to get to court. You have been waiting for this day of sentence for seven years. That's an extraordinary length of time.

"I'm told the explanation is at some stage the police had lost the exhibits then re-found them.

"That seven year delay is tempered somewhat by the fact that three years ago the police found some more images which does you no credit, of course.

"Again there has been a three year delay since that point which is an extraordinary amount of time."

Recorder Hill said he would suspend the sentence as probation assessed him as a low risk of reoffending and capable of living a constructive life.

Stuart Graham, defending, said: "Through his actions, he has thrown everything away.

"He had a good job. That was suspended and he is in no doubt he will be sacked. He was an IT support expert for the NHS.

"If the police had done things right in 2014 he probably would not have offended again.

"It's seven years he has had this hanging over him. It all went quiet for two years from 2014 to 2016. He contacted the police several times trying to get hold of particular officers with no reply coming back. I don't know if it was embarrassment on the police's behalf for losing the exhibits.

"Then it was not for another two or three years that everything was back before the court again."

Mr Graham said Morton was "appalled" and felt "revulsion" at the images and he had been "exceedingly tearful", especially at the prospect of having to tell his family what he had done.

He added that Morton had been doing charity work and trying to make up for what he had done "including staying in the NHS in these difficult times".

A spokesperson for Northumbria Police said: “We are committed to bringing cases to court in a timely manner and working with our criminal justice partners to help ensure this happens.

“We recognise that on this occasion there has been a delay. We are, however, pleased that justice has been carried out.

“We will ensure any learning points from this case are taken forward.”