Willenhall teenager with hundreds of child porn images spared jail

Adam Hampton, 19, of Springhill Close, Willenhall, pleaded guilty to six charges of making indecent photographs or pseudo photographs of children, six of distributing the images, and two offences of possession of extreme pornographic images.

During sentencing at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Friday, Mr Bernard Linnemann, prosecuting, said police attended Hampton's home address on February 26 last year.

His parents were home but did not know about the pornography and were 'taken by surprise', Mr Linnemann said.

"He made substantial admissions about what he had been doing. He started looking at sexual images of children when he was 13, looking at images of children his own age."

As far as 'making' the images, this relates to Hampton downloading them, he said, not creating them. Police found 895 photos and videos considered 'Class A', the most serious category, 1027 Class B, and 1808 Class C.

Hampton was also found to have distributed 154 Class A photos and videos, 256 Class B, and 212 Class C through a 'particular website' and on Skype.

He had 70 images considered to be 'extreme pornography'. All of the children in the images were boys, Mr Linnemann said, and although the 'great majority' were aged between 10 and 15 there were 'one or two exceptions', including a baby aged nine to 12 months, and two instances of children under five.

When sentencing Hampton, Judge Michael Challinor said: "Many members of the public would expect any person who views the sort of vile material you have been in possession of and have distributed to go immediately to prison.

"Most people regard images showing sexual abuse of young children truly horrific and they simply can't understand why people like you find it exciting.

"Very importantly this offending was taking place when you were a young teenager."

If I thought this type of custodial sentence would turn you away from this type of offending better than any other sentence you would be going to jail this minute."

Judge Challinor told Hampton the sentence would 'force you to face up to your past predilections and therefore make you a safer member of society'.

Hampton was sentenced to a two-year community order with supervision, focusing on 'turning him away from sexual offending', must register as a sex offender for five years, will be subject to the provisions of the barring agency, and will be subject to a sexual offenders prevention order for five years.

His computer, mobile phone and images will be destroyed.