NICHOLAS KARFOOT FROM ULVERSTON SENTENCED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY OFFENSES

In November 2003, a member of the Christian community in Ulverston was brought to justice after being found guilty of possessing and downloading child pornography. Nicholas Karfoot, a resident of Oakwood Drive in Ulverston, appeared before Preston Crown Court to face charges related to the creation and possession of indecent images of children.

According to court proceedings, Karfoot, aged 35 at the time, had initially sought assistance from a computer expert to improve the performance of his personal computer. During the course of routine maintenance and software checks, the technician discovered alarming evidence suggesting that Karfoot had accessed illegal material online. Specifically, the technician found search engine entries that indicated the presence of child sex images, which was subsequently confirmed by police investigations.

The court was informed that in December, the computer expert visited Karfoot’s residence to work on his system. While attempting to install software to optimize the computer’s efficiency, the technician noticed search terms related to child sexual abuse images. Concerned by these findings, the technician attempted to reset the computer. However, before doing so, he alerted authorities to the suspicious activity.

Police officers responded to the report and conducted a search of Karfoot’s home in January. During the search, they uncovered a short video clip depicting a boy performing a sexual act on an adult male. Additionally, they found a separate file containing an image of a child. These discoveries led to Karfoot’s arrest in July, after which he was taken in for questioning. During the interview, Karfoot denied having prior knowledge of the images, claiming he might have inadvertently downloaded them while viewing adult pornography. He also admitted to having read about a man arrested for similar offenses and admitted that he had searched the internet to see how accessible such material was.

It was noted that Karfoot had no previous criminal record. His defense lawyer, Mr. Fraser Livesey, expressed remorse on his behalf, stating that Karfoot was deeply ashamed of his actions and had shown genuine regret even before the police intervention. The lawyer emphasized that the case involved a relatively small number of images—estimated at around 10 or 11—and clarified that there was no evidence of distribution or sharing of the material with others.

Prosecutor Mr. Mark Ainsworth highlighted that the police found only a limited amount of illegal content on Karfoot’s computer. The court was also informed that members of the Christian fellowship group to which Karfoot belonged had rallied around him, demonstrating community support despite the serious nature of the charges.

In sentencing, Judge Andrew Blake acknowledged the small scale of the offense, which involved a limited number of images. As part of his punishment, Karfoot was sentenced to three years of community rehabilitation, a measure intended to monitor and support his reintegration into society. Additionally, he was ordered to participate in a sex offenders’ treatment program and will remain on the sex offenders’ register for five years. The court also emphasized that Karfoot’s actions, while serious, did not involve the distribution or sharing of the images, and he was not considered a danger to the community beyond the possession of illegal material.