A "socially isolated" paedophile was found with a stash of horrific child abuse images, including a video lasting over an hour.
Sex offender, David Carr was already the subject of a sexual harm prevention order when he was found in possession of 17 hard-drives which included indecent images and extreme pornography involving animals. Included in the hoard of images the 44-year-old possessed, were category A videos depicting children as young as three-years-old child, with one video lasting over an hour.
Carr, of Woods Terrace, Murton, County Durham, appeared at Durham Crown Court on Wednesday, via link from HMP Durham, to be sentenced for possession of indecent images, prohibited images of children and extreme pornography. He was also sentenced for breaching a sexual harm prevention order. He had pleaded guilty to the offences.
The court heard that police raided Carr's home in October last year and seized 17 hard-drives and some laptops. When the hard-drives were analysed, indecent images dating as far back as 2007 were discovered, as well as extreme porn and prohibited images of children. As Carr had also been using a "Tor browser", had failed to notify his offender manager of having the devices, and had used cloud storage, he was in breach of his sexual harm prevention order.
Andrew Finlay, prosecuting, said 29 category A images were found, alongside two category B and three category C images. A total of 78 extreme porn images involving "bestiality" were also discovered, as well as 553 prohibited images of children - 433 of which were "live". Mr Finlay said that the category A videos showed children as young as three-years-old being abused, and one lasted for over an hour.
He added: "His laptop was analysed and cloud storage devices were found. When arrested he was asked if he had a mobile phone. He denied owning one but later handed a mobile phone over. The devices were checked and they had internet history. He gave no reply in interview."
The court was told that Carr had previous convictions for similar matters and had been dealt with in 2018 - when a sexual harm prevention order was imposed.
Martin Scarborough, defending Carr, said: "The images offences are old matters that pre-date his previous offending and sentence. He is a very socially isolated individual and the recent offending regarding the breach has arisen following a return to drinking more heavily after finding out his mother is terminally ill. He fully accepts he has not complied with police requests."
Mr Scarborough added: "He had the good sense to plead guilty to all matters in the lower courts. He is somebody who has had significant mental health issues himself."
Sentencing Carr, Judge Jo Kidd said: "You are a socially isolated man who spends significant amounts of time alone, not going out and engaging in this interest whilst drinking heavily and smoking cannabis daily. It is clear you have an interest in viewing indecent images of children and would seem the sexual harm prevention order has not been able to deter you from continuing to engage in such behaviour."
Carr was jailed for two years and was made subject of a 10 year sexual harm prevention order. He will be on the sex offenders' register for 10 years.
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