BRYAN HORROCKS FROM BIDEFORD CAUGHT WITH CHILD ABUSE IMAGES ON DARK WEB

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Bideford, a local businessman named Bryan Horrocks has been found guilty of accessing and downloading illegal images depicting the sexual abuse of young children. The investigation into Horrocks’s online activities was initiated after police traced his digital footprint, which included suspicious activity on social media platforms and file-sharing sites. Authorities discovered that he had been using an anonymous dark web browser to search for and view highly disturbing images of young girls, some as young as four years old, being subjected to severe sexual abuse.

Horrocks, aged 51 and known to reside in Bideford, was identified through digital forensics and was subsequently arrested. During the police raid on his family home in Bideford on April 23 of the previous year, officers seized multiple electronic devices, including a phone and a laptop. Experts who examined these devices uncovered a collection of illegal images, classified in the most severe category, Category A, which indicates the worst possible material involving child abuse.

Many of the images retrieved depicted young girls aged between four and six years old. The search history and associated files revealed that Horrocks had actively sought out websites hosting such illegal content, indicating a deliberate and sustained effort to access these materials for his own gratification. The police investigation confirmed that his online activity was not incidental but part of a pattern of disturbing behavior.

At Exeter Crown Court, Bryan Horrocks pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children. The court heard that his actions were deeply reprehensible, with the judge, Mr. Justice Evans, condemning his conduct in unequivocal terms. Horrocks was sentenced to 18 months in prison, but the sentence was suspended for two years, meaning he will not serve time unless he commits further offenses within that period. Additionally, he was ordered to attend the Maps for Change sex offenders’ treatment program, which involves 40 days of rehabilitative activities aimed at addressing his behavior.

Furthermore, the court imposed a financial penalty, requiring Horrocks to pay £1,200 in costs. He was also placed on the sex offenders’ register for a decade and subjected to a sexual harm prevention order. This order grants authorities ongoing monitoring of his internet activity for ten years, ensuring that he does not re-engage in similar illegal behavior. The judge emphasized the gravity of the offense, stating, “Each image was a recording of a child being abused sexually. You viewed them solely for your sexual gratification. That is utterly despicable.”

Prosecutor Edward Bailey highlighted the severity of the case, noting that police had acted swiftly to investigate Horrocks’s digital footprint and had uncovered illegal material on his devices. The evidence confirmed that Horrocks had been actively seeking and viewing images of very young children being abused, which underscores the heinous nature of his crimes and the importance of ongoing monitoring and rehabilitation efforts.