Locations
Hucknall, Nottinghamshire, NG15
Description
A sex offender lunged at a member of police staff as he tried and failed to destroy damning evidence contained on his mobile phone.
Jordan Haskard, aged 28, had initially handed the device over to officers when they executed a warrant at his home in July 2024.
Alarmed by its contents, he changed his mind and lunged towards the digital media officer holding the folding-style device – grabbing it and trying to snap it in half.
The reason for his actions would soon become clear, when the device was found to contain discussions about (and videos of) the most serious sexual abuse of children.
Haskard had first come to the attention of Nottinghamshire Police in June 2022 when officers in another part of the country unearthed social media messages in which he discussed the sexual abuse of children with another man.
He also arranged for the man to send him a video of a toddler being sexually abused – even making specific requests of what things he wanted to see.
That video – which led to the conviction of the perpetrator – was later found on Haskard’s previous mobile phone when he was arrested, along with nearly 600 extreme images.
While still on bail for those offences, Haskard again came to police attention after one of his social media accounts was linked to the distribution of prohibited images.
It was at this point that the phone he tried to destroy was found covered in clothes by the side of his bed.
As well as Category A rated images of child sexual abuse, the device was also found to contain discussions about the abduction and rape of children, as well as extreme images of animals.
Haskard, formerly of Hucknall, later pleaded guilty to two counts of arranging the commission of a child sex offence, four counts of making an indecent image of a child, two counts of distributing indecent images of children, possessing an extreme pornographic image of an animal, and causing unnecessary suffering to an animal.
Appearing at Nottingham Crown Court on Monday, he was given an extended sentence of 24 years and seven months.
The sentence consists of a jail term of 16 years and seven months and an extended licence period of eight years, during which he will immediately be returned to prison if he breaches the terms of his release.
He was also made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order that will tightly restrict his online activities and access to children when he is eventually released.