Man who shared child porn jailed for six months

A 28-year-old pervert caught with pictures and movies of young children being raped and tortured has been jailed for six months.

Chris Carson, of The Brook, Enniskillen, admitted 28 charges of downloading obscene pictures from the internet and two charges of distributing indecent images of children.

Many of the charges referred to children being raped or sexually abused. A number referred to acts of incest and other serious sexual assaults. Some indicated the victims were babies or toddlers as young as one-year-old.

Prosecuting counsel Robin Steer told Omagh Crown Court that in May 2008 police searched Carson’s flat in Enniskillen and arrested him on suspicion of having child pornography. Indecent images were found on his computer and he also shared images through an internet forum.

The court heard that pornographic pictures of children are categorised by numbers one to five, with one being the least serious and five the most serious. Mr Steer said the two charges of distributing child pornography related to category one images of young people in swimming costumes.

The remaining 28 charges relating to Carson’s possession of numerous indecent images including eight that fell into category five, featuring the worst kind of sadistic child sexual abuse, and 145 category four images, showing children being raped and sodomised.

Carson’s defence barrister Ian Turkington said he was hitherto of good character but his reputation now lay in tatters. The lawyer said that the case had made front page headlines and as a result Carson had been ostracised by members of the public.

“He is paying a heavy price,” said Mr Turkington.

The judge told Carson he was taking into account his admission of guilt, that he had no previous convictions and had a good work record. He was also taking into account that the detection of the offences and his conviction would affect his standing in the community.

The judge said he had given the matter considerable thought and felt the offences warranted a prison sentence because Carson had distributed child pornography.

Jailing him for six months the judge ordered him to remain on the Sex Offenders’ Register for seven years.

He also made a Sexual Offences Prevention Order prohibiting Carson from owning a computer or mobile phone with internet access and from having access to children unless approved by Social Services.