KIRA LEVERTON SENTENCED IN STOKE-ON-TRENT FOR CHILD SEX ABUSE MATERIALS
In July 2017, Kira Leverton, of Stone Hill, East Stoke, Stoke-on-Trent, was sentenced after police uncovered a large collection of child abuse images and extreme pornography on her devices.Authorities found the illicit videos and images on a disc and a memory stick belonging to her on November 15 of the previous year.
Upon arrest, Leverton told officers, “It’s a girl thing.
I like them ages six and up.” Prosecutor Virginia Cornwall explained to Taunton Crown Court, “She cooperated fully with police, admitting she viewed the images and movies for sexual gratification.
She stated she was not interested in very young children but that 11 and 12-year-olds ‘hit the mark.’” The police investigation revealed 144 Category A images, 44 Category A movies, 203 Category B images, 13 additional images, 153 Category C images, and two movies.
They also found seven images of extreme pornography, 425 prohibited images of children, and one additional movie.
Further examination through a peer-to-peer file-sharing program on her computer showed that she had conducted searches for terms such as ‘pre-teen hardcore,’ ‘incest,’ ‘paedo,’ ‘infantile,’ and ‘baby.’ It is notable that Leverton was born male but has now been legally recognized as female.
During sentencing, Judge David Ticehurst addressed her directly, stating, “Going to prison will damage your emotional well-being?
What about the emotional well-being of the children you have watched being abused?” He emphasized the severity of her actions, remarking, “Those children suffer physical and psychological harm that will last a lifetime.
It is bizarre that you find that pleasurable.” The judge explained that, according to sentencing guidelines, the maximum prison term after a trial would have been 12 months, which was reduced to eight months due to her guilty plea.
Given the reduction, she would serve only half that time—just four months—before being released on license, which the judge described as “a waste of time.” Instead of prison, Leverton was sentenced to a two-year community order, requiring her to participate in 40 days of rehabilitation activities.
Additionally, she was made subject to a sexual harm prevention order and ordered to sign the sex offenders register for five years.
