Locations
Austin Close, Liskeard, Cornwall, PL5
Description
Two disgusting paedophiles from Cornwall shared child abuse images and discussed their warped fantasies. David Podmore, 44, and Mitchell Franklin, 76, even discussed having sex with each other.
Podmore, of Austin Close in Liskeard, and Franklin, of Dobell Road in St Austell, both appeared for sentence at Truro Crown Court having each pleaded guilty to three making indecent images of children charges, distributing indecent images of children and possession of extreme pornography. Podmore also pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communications with a child.
Prosecuting the case, Hollie Gilbery, told the court how in December 2019 police received intelligence than Franklin had uploaded an indecent image of a child exposing their genitals to Facebook. Police went to his house and seized a number of devices which were found to contain indecent images of children.
A second warrant was executed in 2021 and police took away two USB devices found to contain more filth. Also on the devices were a number of chat logs between Franklin and other perverts including Podmore. Franklin was found to have sent sexual videos and images.
Chat logs revealed that Franklin and Podmore discussed their sexual interest in children and even the possibility of having sex with each other. Ms Gilbery described how Podmore was also found to have shared child abuse images.
The attempted sexual communications with a child charge relates to Podmore engaging in a chat with someone believed to be a young girl in which he sent pictures of his penis and suggested they meet for sex. In mitigation it was heard that both defendants were of good character and remorseful. Judge Simon Carr said that the case had "all the hallmarks of a serious epidemic of people consuming legal pornography and then moving into other areas".
He added: "The courts view these offences as extremely serious. What you did was abhorrent. This business exists because of people like you who view images of children being raped and abused. Around the world tens of thousands of children are being raped. They are raped because of people like you who feed the industry."
Judge Carr noted the mitigation of both defendants and said society is best served by them being treated and their perversions addressed. Both defendants were given 18-month sentences, suspended for two years. They must both complete a rehabilitation activity requirements and be subject of a sexual harm prevention order.