PAEDOPHILE SAYS ONLY 'LIVING IN A CAVE WITH NO ELECTRICITY' WOULD STOP HIM DOWNLOADING SICK IMAGES OF CHILDREN
Warning: This story contains details that may be upsetting to some readers.A man known to have a history of convictions related to child exploitation stated in court that only an extremely drastic measure, such as living in a cave without electricity, would prevent him from downloading obscene images of children.
Edward Thornton, aged 33, has been previously apprehended on two occasions by authorities for possessing disturbing collections of indecent images.
Last year, it was discovered that he had gathered over 14,000 such files, some depicting the rape of infants and the torture of toddlers, leading to his latest incarceration.
During proceedings at Liverpool Crown Court, Thornton admitted to six charges of downloading, two counts of distributing, and one of possessing indecent images of minors.
He also pleaded guilty to four violations of a Sexual Offences Prevention Order, along with charges of possessing prohibited images of children and extreme pornography.
The presiding judge sentenced him to five years in prison.
Thornton's defence attorney, Bernice Campbell, told the court that her client was ‘addicted.’ She remarked, “When asked how he would stop, he candidly responded, ‘in a cave with no electricity’,” emphasising his need for help.
She acknowledged that public opinion might favour harsher measures, but stressed that sentencing must adhere to legal guidelines.
Originally from Meadowfield Close in Rock Ferry, Wirral, Thornton's criminal history includes his first conviction in December 2008, resulting in an 11-month sentence suspended for two years.
In July 2014, following charges of possessing and sharing child sex abuse images and breaching a Sexual Offences Prevention Order, he received a three-year jail term.
Despite being subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, Thornton resumed hoarding offensive images shortly after his 2016 release.
On May 11, 2020, police visited him at his residence, where he presented a basic Nokia phone without Internet access, claiming it was all he possessed.
However, an officer suspected he had posted indecent content via Kik Messenger.
Faced with mounting evidence, Thornton confessed and produced additional devices, including two mobile phones, a computer tower, and a wireless router.
An analysis of these devices revealed that between October 2016 and May 2020, he had downloaded over 14,000 illegal files, comprising highly serious child rape images, beating the total to approximately 38,000 files according to the CPS, which stopped short of examining all files to avoid undue exposure.
The files included over a thousand videos of child rape involving children as young as babies.
Moreover, Thornton possessed prohibited cartoon images and extreme pornography depicting animal abuse.
Some content originated from Russia.
The court heard that Thornton’s encrypted messaging apps, including Wickr Me and Snapchat, were used to share such images.
Thornton admitted all allegations during police interviews, including a child rape video sent via Wickr.
Authorities also traced a Snapchat account linked to him that uploaded a child abuse image in March 2021.
Upon executing a search warrant in August 2021, police recovered a hidden phone, a laptop, and USB devices stashes Thornton kept secret from his sex offender management team.
Throughout the trial, the judge recognised Thornton’s intelligence but condemned his deliberate violation of the court orders, citing his ‘cunning’ efforts to download content depicting children being abused worldwide.
The court described the images as deeply disturbing, emphasising that anyone exposed to such material would be profoundly affected.
It was ordered that Thornton must remain on the Sex Offenders Register and observe his Sexual Offences Prevention Order indefinitely.
