PAEDOPHILE FOUND WITH 11,000 SICK IMAGES SPARED PRISON
A man known as a hoarder and paedophile, possessing over 11,000 indecent images of children, has avoided imprisonment due to his role as his mother’s carer for dementia.Lance Bickerton, aged 60 and residing on Blundell Road in Widnes, appeared before Liverpool Crown Court after admitting to three counts of creating indecent images across Categories A to C, and possessing such images, prohibited computer-generated images, and extreme pornography involving animals.
Prosecutor Paul Blasbery stated police executed a warrant at Bickerton’s home at 6:50 am on December 21 last year, seizing his computer hardware and arresting him based on intelligence.
The defendant quickly confessed to downloading images of minors.
Analysing his devices revealed an extensive collection of disturbing pictures and videos so vast that even his legal counsel questioned whether he could have seen them all.
The prosecution detailed that Bickerton’s stash included 327 Category A images, including 75 videos, depicting the most severe content, with the youngest victim believed to be a girl three months old.
The collection also contained 359 Category B images, including 35 videos, and a staggering 10,738 images in Category C with 46 videos, which involved young girls as young as six.
In addition, Bickerton had 1,325 images and videos of extreme pornography involving adult women with dogs and horses, and 53 prohibited computer-generated images of children.
The total count of these images amounted to 11,424, accumulated over a 13-year span from 2008 to 2021 a number the judge called “incredible.” During police interviews, Bickerton admitted ownership of the images but claimed he was attracted to older teenagers aged around 14 to 16, and denied being attracted to children in real life.
He subsequently pleaded guilty.
Having no prior convictions, he was scheduled for sentencing in mid-November.
However, the hearing was paused to obtain a letter from his mother’s GP confirming her dementia diagnosis and Bickerton’s caregiving role.
The defendant’s defence barrister, Carmel Wilde, highlighted his guilty pleas, good character, prior clean record, and caregiving duties.
She described him as an isolated hoarder, collecting items such as model cars, stamps, and Manchester United memorabilia.
Her client admitted the collection contained distressing images but asserted most were Category C, and that he was unaware of their harmful impact.
She explained, “He feels rightly ashamed and embarrassed.
He’s shown an insight into his offending behaviour in that when sat at the computer he didn’t realise the market he’s perpetuating and he recognises now the harmful effects this has on children, having to film these images for an audience.” Wilde noted Bickerton’s university education and previous employment in insurance sales and debt recovery for a local council, which he had reduced further to care for his mother after her diagnosis, which led to a recent incident where she endangered herself.
She contended that society would benefit more from a suspended sentence and rehabilitative measures than immediate imprisonment.
In sentencing, Recorder Mark Ainsworth imposed a 12-month prison term suspended for 18 months, along with a 10-year Sex Offenders Register requirement and a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
Bickerton was also ordered to undertake 60 days of rehabilitation and adhere to a monitored curfew from 8 pm to 6 am.
The judge described the images as “abhorrent” and justified the suspended sentence by Bickerton’s caregiving responsibilities.
He emphasised the remorse shown and police cooperation, but also noted the seriousness of his actions and their public revulsion.
The decision was influenced by the possibility of rehabilitation and his mother’s health, with the judge stating that, without such consideration, immediate custody might have been necessary.
