BENWELL PENSIONER GUILTY OF DOWNLOADING HUNDREDS OF CHILD ABUSE IMAGES
Gary Telford, a pensioner aged 65 from Benwell Close, was involved in a case concerning the possession and download of numerous child sexual abuse images.After the National Crime Agency provided a tip, police officers searched his home in Benwell, where they confiscated electronic devices.
An analysis of the devices uncovered 423 indecent images of children, which included 69 categorized as B and 354 as C images.
Notably, no images fell into the most severe Category A classification.
During court proceedings, Telford admitted to two counts of creating indecent images of children.
The images were downloaded over a period stretching from February 18, 2023, to April 5, 2024.
His arrest followed police linking him to a Microsoft account tied to his residence.
When questioned, Telford did not comment.
He has no previous criminal record, and a full account of his mitigation will be presented at a subsequent hearing.
The case was postponed for a pre-sentence report, and Telford was released on unconditional bail, with a court date set for August 26.
UPDATE 30/08/2025 Telford, of Benwell Close, has now been given a 26-week prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, after he previously appeared at Newcastle Magistrates' Court to plead guilty to two counts of making indecent images of children.
District Judge Kate Meek said: "The comment you made to police upon arrest is of grave concern but the pre-sentence report helps me understand you now, having reflected on it, appreciate fully that your conduct is harmful to children.
"Children being photographed in that way is harmful to them emotionally, psychologically and physically forever.
Without the appetite for these images in our society, those images don't get taken and those children don't get harmed." The court heard that Telford downloaded the photos, which involved very young children, between February 18 2023 and April 5 2024.
Chike Anieto, prosecuting, said Telford, who has 12 offences on his record, was arrested but made no comment during police interviews.
Jason Boyd, defending, said Telford had been candid, frank and honest in his Probation interview, had pleaded guilty and had stayed out of trouble for more than 20 years.
Mr Boyd added: "There are also no like offences on his record.
He knows he faces the possibility of immediate custody.
"He also now realises that this is not a victimless crime." As well as the suspended sentence, Telford must pay £85 costs and a £154 victim surcharge, must sign the Sex Offenders' Register for seven years and was made subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for five years.
