BRIDLINGTON MAN CHRISTOPHER HOUSEMAN CAUGHT POSING AS TEENAGE GIRL IN INTERNET CHAT ROOMS
In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Bridlington, 59-year-old Christopher Houseman was found to have engaged in a sinister online scheme aimed at obtaining indecent images of children.The investigation revealed that Houseman, residing on Headlands Close, used internet chat rooms under the guise of a teenage girl, specifically pretending to be a 15-year-old, in order to lure other users into sharing explicit photographs of young girls.
This malicious activity came to light after police executed a raid on his former residence in Boroughbridge, a town near Harrogate, on December 1, 2012.
During the operation, authorities confiscated his laptop and a memory stick for forensic analysis, which subsequently uncovered a disturbing collection of images.
The authorities discovered a total of 360 images stored across the seized devices, some of which were classified in the most serious category of indecency.
These images depicted young girls in explicit poses, raising grave concerns about the exploitation and abuse of minors.
Houseman appeared before York Crown Court on a Friday to face sentencing after admitting to 11 counts of making indecent images of children.
His legal representative, defence barrister Jon Gregg, explained that Houseman’s descent into this dark activity was linked to personal struggles, including the breakdown of his marriage and financial difficulties.
The court was also informed that several years prior, police had previously visited Houseman’s home to seize firearms following a threatening incident where he had expressed intentions to harm himself with a gun.
Judge Robert Bartfield addressed Houseman directly, stating, “The satisfaction you obtained from using your computer for sexual gratification, and the reason why you did so, cannot just be described as perverted, but bizarre.” Despite the gravity of the offences, the judge chose not to impose an immediate prison sentence, citing Houseman’s mental health state at the time of the crimes.
The judge acknowledged that Houseman was “depressed, isolated and suicidal” during the period of offending.
Consequently, Judge Bartfield sentenced Houseman to six months in prison, but this was suspended for a year, allowing him to avoid immediate incarceration.
Additionally, a sexual-harm prevention order was issued, lasting for seven years, which restricts Houseman from accessing the internet on any device unless it is equipped with special software capable of monitoring his online activity.
Furthermore, the court imposed a seven-year notification order, requiring Houseman to regularly update authorities about his personal details and whereabouts, as part of ongoing efforts to prevent further harm.
This case underscores the ongoing challenges faced by law enforcement in combating online exploitation and highlights the importance of vigilance in protecting vulnerable children from online predators.
