A paedophile who was caught with a hidden mobile phone inside a mattress was sharing sickening abuse images to other perverts online.
David Cooper was found with a hoard of indecent images, with some depicting children as young as four years old when police raided his Sunderland home. The 32-year-old loner had also been sharing material to other paedophiles online but claimed he had no sexual interest in children.
Cooper, of Dellfield Drive, Pennywell, Sunderland, appeared at Newcastle Crown Court on Monday to be sentenced for charges of making indecent images, distributing indecent images and possession of extreme pornography. He pleaded guilty to the charges at a previous hearing.
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Rachael Glover, prosecuting, said the offences came to light on November 12, 2019, when police raided Cooper's home and seized two mobile phones. The phones were sent for examination and indecent images were discovered. Ms Glover said 24 category A, 46 category B, and nine category C images and videos were discovered. She said: "The images depicted children between the ages of four and 15 years old, the majority depicted children between seven and nine years old. The defendant had also been distributing images and conversations between the defendant and three unknown people were found."
Ms Glover added: "On November 7, 2019, on the Telegram app, the defendant sent 40 images to a person. On November 8, he discussed trading images with a person and sent 13 videos." The court heard that after the find, Cooper was released under investigation, but officers returned to his home on June 10, 2020.
Ms Glover said: "The defendant was in his bedroom and he was asked if he had a mobile phone. He denied owning a mobile phone after police seized them. The officers then called his number and heard ringing coming from the bed. A mobile phone was then found inside his mattress. A search was conducted in his room and amphetamines were also found."
The phone that was found inside Cooper's mattress was also examined, and hundreds more images were discovered. The court was told that 229 category A images were found, including videos, as well as 109 category B and 69 category C. Extreme pornography involving a horse was also discovered.
Tony Cornberg, defending, said Cooper had no previous convictions but did receive a caution for the amphetamines that were found in his room and said he entered early guilty pleas. He said: "He readily accepts he was looking at further material after he was released under investigation. The offences are between three and two years old and there has been no repeat offending since. He is described as someone who is very vulnerable, easily led and someone with little to no experience of adult relationships."
Mr Cornberg added: "He has low self-esteem and still lives at home and doesn't have a job. He used to be a window cleaner and delivery driver and is described as being a good candidate for rehabilitation and not a danger to the public."
Sentencing him, Judge Edward Bindloss, said Cooper had claimed to police he had no sexual interest in children and was merely trading the materiel. "I'm afraid I don't believe that", he said, "You do have a sexual interest in children." Cooper was jailed for 18 months and made subject of a 10 year sexual harm prevention order. He will also be on the sex offender's register for 10 years.
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