JOHN HARE FROM ALLSTREE SENTENCED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY OFFENSES IN DERBY

In a case that has shocked the local community of Allestree, Derby, John Hare, a 46-year-old former police officer, has been sentenced to eight months in prison after admitting to charges related to child pornography. The court proceedings revealed that Hare was found to have accessed and distributed a significant number of indecent images of children, with authorities uncovering a total of 494 such pictures stored on his personal computers.

These disturbing findings came to light after Hare's partner reported her concerns to the police in November. She had noticed that Hare was spending an unusual amount of time on his computer late at night, which prompted her to contact law enforcement authorities. Although she chose to remain anonymous in her report, detectives were able to trace the call and subsequently conducted a thorough search of Hare's residence on Coppice End Road, Allestree.

During the search, police seized two computers and numerous discs, which contained evidence of Hare's involvement in viewing and sharing child exploitation material. The investigation uncovered that Hare had not only stored these images but also engaged in online chats with other subscribers, exchanging and emailing pictures at their request. The police found that Hare had committed multiple offenses, including ten counts of making indecent photographs of children and four counts of possessing such images. He also requested that an additional eleven images be considered in the case.

Hare's background was also scrutinized during the court proceedings. It was revealed that he had served in the army with an unblemished record before joining Nottinghamshire police in the 1980s. His service was distinguished by a Chief Constable's commendation awarded in 1992, and he was recognized on the New Year’s Honours List for acts of bravery. However, his career with the police force was ultimately terminated, and he lost his police pension following his arrest and subsequent conviction.

Representing Hare, defense lawyer Nicola Hornby, stated that her client had been honest with the police about his actions and had sought help for his problematic behavior. Despite this, the court imposed a sentence of eight months in prison and ordered Hare to be placed on the Sex Offenders Register for a period of ten years. Judge David Price emphasized the severity of Hare's crimes, warning that the images he viewed and shared contributed to the ongoing abuse and exploitation of young children, and underscored the importance of holding offenders accountable to protect vulnerable victims.