AMY HICKSON FROM ALRESFORD ESCAPES JAIL AFTER HORRIFIC CHILD AND ANIMAL PORNOGRAPHY SCANDAL IN HAMPSHIRE

In a case that has shocked the local community of Alresford and the wider Hampshire region, Amy Hickson, a young woman aged 20, narrowly avoided a prison sentence after being found guilty of possessing and creating a vast array of indecent images involving children and animals. The disturbing details of her offenses, which span over a year, have raised serious concerns about online safety and the exploitation of vulnerable victims.

Hickson, who resides at Grey Farm Close, New Cheriton, was just 17 and 18 years old at the time she committed these heinous acts. Court records reveal that she stored, viewed, and even produced PowerPoint presentations containing explicit and extreme images of children as young as one year old. Additionally, she engaged in searches on Google and YouTube related to child abuse, indicating a disturbing level of premeditation and interest in these illicit topics.

The case first came to light after British police received intelligence from American authorities, which prompted a search of her parents' home. During this investigation, her computer was seized after an email address associated with her was traced, leading to the discovery of numerous indecent images. The police's efforts culminated in her arrest in February 2013, with the offenses having occurred between May 2012 and June 2013.

At Winchester Crown Court, Hickson pleaded guilty to 13 charges, including making indecent photographs of a child, possessing prohibited images, and creating pseudo-images of children. The court heard that her collection included over 1,000 images, with some counts involving more than 500 images each. The images ranged from Category A, which depicts penetration and sadism, to Category C, which involves less serious content. Among the images were 219 classified as Category A, 185 as Category B, and 199 as Category C. The prohibited images also included 523 cartoon images portraying child abuse.

Furthermore, Hickson admitted to possessing 16 extreme, disgusting, or obscene images involving animals, including dogs being abused and tortured. These images were described as explicit and realistic, with one showing a person performing a sexual act with a dog, and the remaining 15 involving other animals. The court was informed that these images were equally disturbing and contributed to the severity of her case.

Prosecutor Dawn Hyland emphasized the gravity of the offenses, stating, “There are babies in these images, two-year-olds, three-year-olds, four and five-year-olds. They are not all young children, but there are some very young children so it does make it very serious indeed. These children are the victims and people do not know what happens to them. But I know for sure they suffer serious physical and emotional damage from what they suffer in these appalling pictures.”

In her defense, Hickson’s lawyer, Andrew Turton, argued that her actions had been a source of ongoing distress for two years and that she had already suffered significant consequences, including dropping out of university. He also stated that her future career prospects were now severely limited and that she was not considered a danger to others, including animals or children. The lawyer presented references from responsible individuals who had employed her as a babysitter on multiple occasions, asserting that they still trusted her to care for children.

As part of her sentence, Hickson was given a 12-month prison term, suspended for two years. She was also ordered to complete 200 hours of community service and attend a women’s support group for 12 sessions. Additionally, she was placed under a five-year sex offences prevention order, required to sign the sex offenders’ register for ten years, and ordered to pay costs of £750 along with a £100 victim surcharge. The court emphasized the seriousness of her offenses, highlighting the harm inflicted on innocent children and animals alike.

In a related case from February 2015, Hickson faced further charges for possessing extreme animal pornography and over 600 indecent images of children. She admitted to 13 charges, including making indecent images of children, possessing prohibited images, and a movie depicting children. The court heard that her collection included 16 images involving animals, such as dogs being abused and tortured, with one showing a sexual act with a dog. These images were described as explicit and realistic, with the content categorized into different levels of seriousness, from Category A to C.

Judge Susan Evans QC acknowledged her guilty pleas and indicated that she would receive some credit for her cooperation. She adjourned the case for a pre-sentence report and granted Hickson conditional bail to return to court on March 6. The case continues to serve as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by online exploitation and the importance of vigilant law enforcement in protecting vulnerable victims.