A CONVICTED SEX OFFENDER WAS CAUGHT WITH A COLLECTION OF CHILD ABUSE IMAGES WHEN HE TRIED TO TRADE HIS PHONE AT A SECOND-HAND GOODS STORE.
Dean Moore, aged 28, was found to have illegal images stored on a Samsung phone that he had attempted to sell for money in 2020.It was disclosed during Newcastle Crown Court proceedings that nearly two years later, Moore was discovered to possess another collection of such images on the same device.
Prosecutor Emma Hughes described how Moore traded the phone with a local seller working for a company similar to a pawnbroker.
Authorities revealed that the phone contained 22 images classified as Category A, along with 44 in Category B and three in Category C.
After being alerted and the device being confiscated, police further investigated.
In 2022, the National Crime Agency raised concerns about Moore’s online activities, prompting further law enforcement inquiries.
Miss Hughes explained that discussions about child sexual abuse were found online, with Moore’s username “Dean2017” expressing a sexual interest in boys under 13.
Northumbria Police officers attended Moore’s home, where he was detained under caution.
Additional devices, including a Samsung Galaxy phone, two Mega storage accounts, and a Dropbox account, were analyzed.
The subsequent review uncovered an additional 1,760 category A images, 855 category B images, and 1,970 category C images, along with an image of an animal.
Moore, residing at Richardson Road in South Shields, pleaded guilty to possessing three indecent images of children, creating three indecent images, possessing extreme pornography, and breaching a suspended sentence from 2019 for similar offenses.
Judge Robert Spragg sentenced him to three years in prison.
During mitigation, Fiona Lamb stated that Moore had previously worked in a car parts manufacturing factory.
She pointed out that the defendant was 28 years old, had no prior convictions, and had pledged guilty to all charges, which allowed for full credit for his plea.
Lamb also mentioned his supportive parents.
