EDWARD BROOKS FROM MINEHEAD SENTENCED FOR CHILD ABUSE IMAGES IN DEVON AND SOMERSET

In April 2019, Edward Brooks, a 52-year-old resident of Hayfield Road, Minehead, was sentenced at Taunton Crown Court after being convicted of possessing indecent images of children. The court heard that Brooks had a long history of offending, including a notorious incident in 2016 when police raided his home and discovered hundreds of thousands of illicit videos and images stored on two computers and two hard drives concealed within a cavity wall. The sheer volume of material was so extensive that authorities struggled to categorize all of it, with only a few thousand files being sorted. Among these, 682 videos were classified as the most severe, depicting children being raped and tortured over a span of ten years, from 2006 to 2016.

Brooks was charged with multiple offenses related to child sexual abuse images. He pleaded guilty to two counts of making indecent images of a child, but was found not guilty on one charge of possessing an indecent photograph of a child. The court sentenced him to a total of 23 months in prison, comprising a four-month consecutive sentence and a four-month concurrent sentence, with the overall sentence being influenced by a previously suspended term. Additionally, Brooks was ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £140, and the images were confiscated and destroyed. His computer equipment was also seized as part of the proceedings. The court further mandated that Brooks register as a sex offender for the next ten years.

During the hearing, the court was informed that in 2016, police had uncovered a vast collection of illicit material in Brooks' home, which included videos of young girls. The investigation revealed that Brooks had downloaded these videos over a decade, with some of the most serious content involving the sexual abuse and torture of children. The police also discovered that Brooks had an interest in young girls aged between 12 and 14, as evidenced by internet searches. After his arrest in February 2018, Brooks, then living in Minehead, continued to access and download more illegal images, including 2,231 videos and images of girls aged between eight and sixteen, while on police bail.

When questioned by authorities, Brooks admitted to possessing indecent images of children. A probation report highlighted that Brooks did not perceive the children in the videos as 'people' or 'human,' indicating a disturbing detachment from the reality of his actions. The report also noted that Brooks had experienced suicidal thoughts during his remand period, with his primary motivation being his desire to see his daughter grow up. The judge questioned Brooks about his daughter’s age and how he would feel if she appeared in similar videos, emphasizing the real harm inflicted on victims and the psychological trauma they endure.

Despite the severity of his offenses, the sentencing guidelines limited the judge to a maximum of two years in prison. Considering Brooks' guilty plea and time already served, this would have resulted in only six months behind bars. Recognizing the risk of reoffending and the public interest, Judge David Ticehurst decided to impose a more stringent sentence. He sentenced Brooks to two years in prison, suspended for two years, and ordered him to participate in the Thames Valley Sex Offender Programme. Additionally, Brooks was subjected to a 25-day rehabilitation requirement and a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, aimed at preventing further offenses and monitoring his behavior in the community.