Wigan borough care home boss had child abuse and animal porn images

A court heard Kevin Thompson, admitted looking at websites for such images of teenage girls in swimwear when drunk.

He would then feel guilty and stop his behaviour but then start over and do it again. He also looked at extreme pornographic images, said Holly Menary, prosecuting.

Liverpool Crown Court was told that after police raided his then home in Devonshire Road, Toxteth, on September 3, 2020 they seized his laptop and a USB stick.

These were found to contain a total of 81 photographs in all three categories of seriousness as well as 157 videos of extreme porn involving animals.

Miss Menary said that officers “also found children’s underwear in his bedroom and various loose small children’s socks.”

Thompson, 45, said that he used Skype to chat to other men and during these chats other people would join in uninvited and send pictures. He admitted he had sent images of teens in their underwear to others.

He said that he was unaware that sending images to others was an offence.

Miss Menary said that he also said “his life had been spiralling out of control and he had been in a bad place recently.”

He also said he was “deeply sorry for his actions and deeply regrets it.”

Miss Menary said that Thompson continued that he was glad that he had been arrested “in order to stop it as it had been a huge wake-up call.”

He also said he had no sexual attraction to children and was going to seek counselling.

When he was re-interviewed after the devices had been thoroughly examined he said he had not known bestiality was an offence. He said he did not remember downloading the images but it must have happened when he clicked on links.

Thompson said the activities occurred when he had been drinking and he admitted getting images and passing them onto other men via Skype.

He said when sober he would “hate himself” and the delete images “but then start the whole process again.”

Thompson, who has heavily tattooed hands, pleaded guilty to five offences involving making indecent images, possessing them and extreme porn.

Thompson, now of Henrietta Street, Leigh, was sentenced to 21 months’ imprisonment suspended for two years. He was also ordered to carry out 180 hours’ unpaid work.

The judge, Recorder Ian Harris, ordered him to sign on the Sex Offenders’ Register for 10 years and imposed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for the same length of time.

Christopher McMasters, defending, said he had been candid in both interviews and made full admissions.

Since then the defendant has been receiving cognitive behaviour therapy and has sought help with his alcohol problem and assistance from the Lucy Faithfull Foundation.

“His mental health issues were triggered by binge drinking but since September 2020 he had not any alcohol at all. He has been setting boundaries in his life so that the offending never re-occurs.”

He has lost his good character and his employment, added Mr McMasters.

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