JOHN BLANCHARD FROM TEESVILLE CAUGHT WITH CHILD IMAGES IN SHOCKING CRIME CASE

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Teesville, John Robert Blanchard, a local businessman, appeared before Teesside Magistrates’ Court to face serious charges related to the possession and creation of indecent images involving children and extreme pornography.

According to court proceedings, Blanchard, aged 41, admitted to possessing a total of 186 images of children. These images ranged from level one to level four in terms of severity, although none reached the highest level five classification. The court heard that his actions also included making 16 indecent images of children, which further compounded the severity of his offenses. Additionally, Blanchard confessed to possessing 15 prohibited cartoon images depicting children in sexual situations, as well as 67 extreme pornographic images, some of which involved adults and animals engaged in sexual acts.

The case was brought to light through police intelligence, prompting officers to visit Blanchard’s residence on Sycamore Crescent in Teesville, where he lives with his parents. During the investigation, law enforcement officials discovered a computer at his home, which was central to the case. Prosecutor Lilian Atkinson explained that Blanchard was interviewed by police and admitted that he was the sole user of the computer. Initially, he claimed to use it primarily for his business activities and to browse Facebook. However, during the interview, he revealed that he had viewed pornography on the device, and at times, he encountered images of children that appeared unexpectedly. Blanchard stated that most of these images were not stored permanently; instead, he viewed them and then disposed of them.

Mrs. Atkinson emphasized that Blanchard had no prior criminal record or cautions, which was noted during the proceedings. His solicitor, Peter Busby, provided context for his client’s actions, explaining that Blanchard had turned to viewing such images as a way to cope with stress. Mr. Busby described this behavior as a form of stress relief that escalated into an addiction, leading him to seek out increasingly graphic and disturbing material. He also pointed out that many of the images viewed were thumbnail pop-ups rather than images intentionally searched for or downloaded by Blanchard.

Following the hearing, the magistrates considered the appropriate sentencing but concluded that their powers were insufficient to deal with the case. As a result, they decided to refer the matter to the Crown Court for further proceedings. The chairman of the magistrates’ bench, Kathy Kirkbright, stated, “We have decided that our powers are not sufficient to deal with this case. We are therefore committing it to the crown court.”

Blanchard was granted unconditional bail, and the court scheduled the date for his Crown Court sentencing to be fixed administratively. The case remains a stark reminder of the serious nature of such offenses and the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to combat the distribution and possession of illegal and harmful images involving minors.