COLIN CORMACK FROM TANTOBIE ESCAPES JAIL AFTER CHILD SEX ABUSE VIDEO DISCOVERY IN COUNTY DURHAM

In a case that has shocked the local community of Tantobie and the wider County Durham area, Colin Cormack faced the court after a disturbing investigation revealed his involvement in downloading and possessing videos of child sexual abuse. The incident came to light following a forensic examination of multiple electronic devices seized from his residence, which uncovered a disturbing collection of indecent images and videos involving minors.

Colin Cormack appeared before Durham Crown Court in February 2021 to be sentenced after previously admitting to three counts of making indecent images of children. The court was informed that the investigation involved four devices taken from his home, which is located in Tantobie. The forensic analysis revealed a significant amount of illicit content, including three videos classified as Category A, indicating the most severe level of abuse, four videos categorized as Category B, and seven videos falling under Category C. One of the videos was notably lengthy, lasting approximately 90 minutes, suggesting a substantial amount of material was stored on his devices.

Prosecutor Mark Atkins detailed the findings, stating, “The hard drive within the computer tower, seized from the bedroom of the defendant’s daughter, contained numerous user accounts, including six that had been created and subsequently deleted. The offending content was accessed through these accounts, and forensic analysis confirmed that search terms consistent with indecent images of children had been used.”

Further investigation revealed that Cormack’s devices contained multiple user accounts, some of which had been deleted, but the forensic team was able to trace the illicit activity back to him. When questioned by police on October 10 of the previous year, Cormack admitted to downloading the indecent images but claimed that he had done so inadvertently while attempting to download adult pornography. He denied having any sexual interest in children, asserting that his actions were accidental.

During the police interview, Cormack was asked whether he had viewed the offending content, to which he responded with “no comment.” When questioned about why he did not delete the material, he again replied with “no comment,” providing little insight into his motives or awareness of the severity of his actions.

Judge James Adkin addressed Cormack directly, describing the images as “utterly repellent images of sexual abuse of real children.” The judge emphasized the broader implications of such offenses, stating, “The reason why imprisonment is suggested as the baseline sentence is because without the consumer, that is you, there would be no market. By downloading indecent images of children, you indirectly encourage the abuse of real children across the globe, which is then filmed and streamed to people like you.”

Ultimately, Cormack, aged 40 and residing on South View in Tantobie, was sentenced to eight months in prison, but the sentence was suspended for two years. As part of his sentence, he is required to complete 40 days of rehabilitation activities and adhere to an electronically monitored curfew for six months, from 7 pm to 7 am. Additionally, he is mandated to register as a sex offender for a period of ten years, reflecting the seriousness of his offenses and the ongoing risk he poses to the community.