DENTON MAN CHRISTIAN STEVENSON ESCAPES JAIL AFTER CHILD PORN IMAGES DISCOVERY

In a case that has shocked the community of Denton, Christian Stevenson, a 35-year-old businessman with ties to Thailand, has narrowly avoided a lengthy prison sentence after being found in possession of over 900 indecent images of children. The incident came to light following a police raid that uncovered the illicit material on his computers, which had been downloaded years earlier.

Stevenson appeared at Minshull Street Crown Court to face multiple charges related to the possession of child pornography. He pleaded guilty to 17 counts of possessing indecent images, a revelation that prompted the court to impose a six-month supervision order. This decision was influenced by the fact that Stevenson had already served seven months behind bars, which the court acknowledged as part of his punishment.

The investigation into Stevenson’s activities was initiated after police seized three computers from his former residence in Denton. The raid was conducted in October, following a tip-off received in 2006, although the images themselves had been downloaded back in 2004. The authorities found that Stevenson had made an attempt to delete some of the images, which was described as 'amateurish' by the judge, indicating a lack of sophisticated effort to conceal the files.

During the court proceedings, Stevenson admitted that he was searching for pornography but claimed that he was trying to avoid images of mature women. He explained that he would type terms like “teen porn” into search engines, and he attributed the presence of the images to pop-up advertisements that he alleged were impossible to close. Despite this, he was unable to justify 47 internet searches that involved keywords related to children, raising serious concerns about his intentions.

The police raid occurred while Stevenson was in Thailand, where he resides with his partner and child. He was arrested during a visit to Denton last October. Among the images found, two were classified as level five, the most severe category used to rank the severity of child pornography. This classification underscores the gravity of the material involved.

During the sentencing, Stevenson turned to the public gallery and attempted to explain himself, saying, “I can explain.” Judge Jonathan Foster, QC, was unimpressed with his defense, stating, “You say you came across these images accidentally through pop-ups. I find that an unconvincing explanation.” The judge highlighted that there were 47 keyword searches related to child pornography, which further undermined Stevenson’s claims of accidental discovery.

In accordance with sentencing guidelines, the judge indicated that Stevenson could have faced a 19-month prison term. However, considering his guilty plea and good behavior, the sentence was reduced by 25 percent, resulting in a total of approximately seven months already served. The judge emphasized that the true punishment for these offenses would be 14 months in prison, and he made it clear that the short supervision order should not diminish the seriousness of the crimes.

Additionally, Stevenson will be required to register as a sex offender, a measure intended to monitor and prevent future offenses. The court’s decision reflects the gravity of possessing such material, and the case serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing battle against child exploitation and abuse.