LIAM FRENCH FROM LEEDS AND BILLINGHAM SENTENCED FOR CHILD SEX OFFENCES AND ONLINE PREDATION

In a case that has sent shockwaves through the communities of Billingham and Leeds, Liam French, a 25-year-old man, has been sentenced to three years in prison for a series of heinous crimes involving the exploitation and abuse of children through online platforms.

French, who was residing in Leeds at the time of his arrest, had previously lived in Billingham. His criminal activities came to light after police executed a raid on his home in Billingham in February of the previous year. During the search, authorities confiscated his computer and uncovered a disturbing collection of illegal material.

Investigations revealed that French had downloaded a staggering 365 indecent photographs and 530 indecent videos depicting children. Alarmingly, more than 200 of these images were classified at the most severe levels of abuse. Most of these illicit images had been deliberately deleted by French, indicating an attempt to conceal his activities. In addition to this, authorities found 1,557 images and 115 videos of an extreme pornographic nature, further highlighting the extent of his depravity.

French was also found to have distributed child abuse images, some of which were at the most serious levels, to adult recipients. He had also shared adult pornography with children online, using these images as incentives to manipulate young individuals into engaging in sexual activities for his own gratification. His online interactions included conversations with teenage boys, where he often adopted the persona of a 17-year-old girl named Stacey.

During these chats, French showed the boys explicit images and incited them to perform sexual acts while he watched. His discussions frequently involved extreme, abusive, and disturbing sexual content, with the aim of persuading the boys to watch or participate in sexual activities. French also discussed child abuse and rape, openly talking about these heinous acts in his online communications.

The most serious aspect of his offending involved a web chat with a teenage boy, during which he persuaded the boy to undress and discussed having sex with him. Evidence suggested that French may have met the boy in person and engaged in sexual activity, although he was not charged for this specific incident.

French pleaded guilty to a total of 20 charges spanning from July 2008 to February of the previous year. These charges included eight counts of making indecent images, one count of possessing indecent images, three counts of distributing such images, seven counts of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity, and one count of possessing extreme pornographic images.

During the court proceedings, his defense lawyer, Brian Russell, questioned whether imprisonment was the appropriate course of action, suggesting that French could be better treated within the community. Russell highlighted that French, who was described as being of previous good character and in a relationship with a man who supported him, maintained his denial of having a sexual interest in children. The lawyer argued that French had taken initial steps to challenge his attitudes and claimed he had not yet crossed the point of being a perpetual danger to children.

However, the presiding judge, Recorder Jeremy Hill-Baker, dismissed these arguments, emphasizing that only custody was justified given the severity of French’s actions. The judge pointed out that French had used images to manipulate vulnerable young men into committing sex acts for his gratification. Consequently, he was sentenced to three years in prison and was placed under an indefinite sexual offences prevention order. This order restricts his contact with individuals under 18, bans him from using internet chat rooms, social networking sites, dating apps, mobile phones, webcams, and other media that could facilitate contact with minors.

French, who currently resides on Parkfield Road in Leeds, will also be required to register as a sex offender, ensuring ongoing monitoring of his activities and compliance with the law.