BRIAN LOVE FROM FISHBURN SENTENCED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY AND SEXUAL ASSAULT VIDEOS IN CO DURHAM

In December 2004, a disturbing case unfolded involving Brian Love, a 38-year-old man from Fishburn, Co Durham, who was convicted and sentenced to five years in prison for heinous crimes related to child exploitation and distribution of indecent images. The case drew significant attention due to the severity of the offenses and the chilling nature of the material involved.

According to court proceedings, Love was found to have engaged in the distribution of videos depicting sexual assaults on infants and very young children. These videos were circulated via the internet, with Love actively sending them to underage girls. The court heard that Love, who resided on Chaytor Terrace in Fishburn, had a disturbing pattern of online behavior, spending up to five hours each night on his home computer. He would pose as a teenager in chat rooms, attempting to establish contact with minors, including a 10-year-old girl and a 14-year-old girl.

During the investigation, police arrested Love in connection with a separate sex assault on an 11-year-old boy. During the search of his home, authorities uncovered a staggering collection of 4,636 computer images depicting children in various states of sexual exploitation. Love ultimately pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including indecent assault and 16 counts related to the creation and distribution of indecent images of children.

Prosecutor Sarah Mallett described Love’s online activities as 'degrading and revolting,' emphasizing the disturbing nature of his interactions. The court was informed that Love had sent explicit videos featuring a six-month-old baby, a girl aged 12 months, and a two-year-old to the underage girls he was communicating with. These revelations underscored the depravity of his actions and the threat he posed to vulnerable children.

Love’s criminal behavior was initially triggered by an incident where he groped the son of a woman he had met on the internet. His defense attorney, Christopher Knox, argued that Love’s inappropriate interest in children appeared to have developed after he became involved in the online world, suggesting a link between his internet activity and his criminal conduct.

Judge Peter Fox QC, the Recorder of Middlesbrough, delivered a stern judgment, condemning Love as a prime example of how internet pornography can corrupt individuals. The judge described some of the material Love distributed as 'especially degrading and revolting,' highlighting the severity of his offenses. As part of his sentence, Love was ordered to register as a sex offender for life and was permanently banned from using the internet to prevent further offenses. The case served as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by online exploitation and the importance of stringent legal measures to protect children from such heinous crimes.