A sick man who downloaded child sex abuse images including of a child being raped, has walked free from court.
Daniel Garton downloaded photographs and videos of children as young as two-years-old being sexually abused after he signed up for an online messaging service.
The 45-year-old was arrested at his East Cleveland home when police were alerted about his online activities.
Teesside Crown Court heard how police recovered images in the deleted folder on the dad-of-one’s mobile phone.
Kathryn Wetherley, prosecuting, said three devices were seized from the defendant but images were only found on his phone.
She said: “In police interview, he admitted he was in possession of indecent images of children, that he had looked at them because he was intrigued by them.” Garton, of Longbeck Road, Marske, pleaded guilty to possession of 43 Category A images and videos, 68 Category B images and videos and 115 Category C images which he downloaded between May and August last year.
Sophie Johnstone, mitigating, said her client had become lonely after the breakdown of his relationship and used social media to contact people before being invited into group chats.
She said: “He accepts that once he was in those groups he was looking at them (the images and videos).
“He accepts that he didn’t leave them and continued to look at the images and for that he is deeply remorseful and ashamed.” Recorder Kama Mella KC sentenced Garton to 12 months in custody suspended for two years with the condition that he attend 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days, carry out 100 hours of unpaid work and take part in an alcohol treatment programme.
She added: “These were choices by you for your own reasons and gratification to watch images of children being raped and you have to accept that because that was your behaviour.” Garton was also ordered to sign on the sex offenders’ register for ten years and was made subject to a ten-year sexual harm prevention order.
Court Outcome
Conviction and Sentencing Details
Sentenced
Detected legal outcome
ve them and continued to look at the images and for that he is deeply remorseful and ashamed." Recorder Kama Mella KC sentenced Garton to 12 months in custody suspended for two years with the condition that he attend 30 rehabilitation ac...
Prison sentence
12 months
She said: "He accepts that once he was in those groups he was looking at them (the images and videos). "He accepts that he didn't leave them and continued to look at the images and for that he is deeply remorseful and ashamed." Recorder Kama Mella KC sentenced Garton to 12 months in custody suspended for two years with the condition that he attend 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days, carry out 100 hours of unpaid work and take part in an alcohol treatment programme
Suspended sentence
two years
She said: "He accepts that once he was in those groups he was looking at them (the images and videos). "He accepts that he didn't leave them and continued to look at the images and for that he is deeply remorseful and ashamed." Recorder Kama Mella KC sentenced Garton to 12 months in custody suspended for two years with the condition that he attend 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days, carry out 100 hours of unpaid work and take part in an alcohol treatment programme
Community order
100 hours
She said: "He accepts that once he was in those groups he was looking at them (the images and videos). "He accepts that he didn't leave them and continued to look at the images and for that he is deeply remorseful and ashamed." Recorder Kama Mella KC sentenced Garton to 12 months in custody suspended for two years with the condition that he attend 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days, carry out 100 hours of unpaid work and take part in an alcohol treatment programme
Court order
ten years
She added: "These were choices by you for your own reasons and gratification to watch images of children being raped and you have to accept that because that was your behaviour." Garton was also ordered to sign on the sex offenders' register for ten years and was made subject to a ten-year sexual harm prevention order
