Locations
Hewitt Avenue, Ryhope, Sunderland, SR2
Description
A Sunderland pensioner has been found with over 1,000 images of children being abused.
Police found the content, which included still pictures and videos on Terence Robert's devices, while he was at work.
Newcastle Crown Court heard two mobile phones were seized from the 71-year-old's address in July 2020 and police also found a cloud storage account.
Prosecutor Joe Culley said: "There were 291 category A images including 96 moving images, 214 category B images including 24 video and 560 category C images.
"The material depicts children between the ages one to 15-years-old."
Roberts, of Hewitt Avenue, Sunderland, pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children.
He also admitted being in possession of a prohibited image of a child and possession of an extreme pornographic image.
Mr Culley added: "When he was interviewed on the 8th of July 2020, the defendant admitted possessing the images.
"He also admitted having shared and distributed them on social media although he wasn't charged with that.
"He used his mobile phones for accessing the images. He doesn't have any previous convictions."
The court heard the offending had began in April 2017, before he was caught over three years later when officers searched his home.
Vic Laffey, defending Roberts, who has since lost his job and long-term partner as a result, told the court: "As with all these cases it's a very unattractive case.
"These offences are nearly two years old, I'm not completely sure how it's taken that long for them to get into the court system.
"He pleaded guilty at the Magistrates court at the first opportunity and was fully co-operative with the police in interview.
"He fully understands the position he's placed himself in. It's had a dramatic effect on him and he is somebody more than prepared to work with the probation service."
Judge Stephen Earl said: "I take into account probation are willing to work with the defendant and I do take into account there is work to be done which is unlikely to be assessed in custody."
The judge sentenced Roberts to 16 months behind bars, suspended for two years, along with rehabilitation requirements and a four-month curfew.
He must also abide by a sexual harm prevention order and sign the sex offender's register, both lasting ten years.