PATRICK BENSON FROM BARROW ESCAPES JAIL AFTER CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CHARGES

In a case that has drawn significant attention in the community of Barrow, Patrick Benson, a 44-year-old resident of Caledonian Close, narrowly avoided imprisonment after admitting to possessing indecent images of minors. The incident dates back to October 2011 when police seized his computer equipment and discovered that Benson had stored approximately 100 images depicting teenage girls engaged in inappropriate acts.

These images were classified as child abuse material, and Benson faced serious charges related to their possession. In September of the following year, he pleaded guilty to six counts of making indecent images of children, which involved downloading the illicit content. Despite his admission, Benson maintained that he was unaware he had downloaded such images and insisted he had never viewed them directly.

Following his plea, Benson appeared before Lancaster Crown Court where the judge sentenced him to a 12-month community order, which includes supervision requirements. Additionally, he was placed on the sex offenders register for a period of five years, a measure intended to monitor his activities and prevent potential reoffending.

During the court proceedings, it was revealed that Benson had used the torrent download site Pirate Bay to access adult pornography. However, it was during this activity that indecent images of children were also downloaded onto his computer. The police investigation uncovered that Benson had been aware of the risks associated with using torrent sites, yet he continued to use the platform even after being informed of the presence of such images. The police interview in March 2010 brought this to his attention, but he persisted in his use of the site. A subsequent search of his computer hardware in 2012 confirmed the presence of additional child abuse images.

Prosecutor Mr. Kenneth Grant emphasized that Benson had admitted to the charges, acknowledging his awareness of the dangers involved in using torrent sites. He stated, “Mr. Benson continued to use Pirate Bay and even though he was not actively seeking such indecent images, as a result of his use, a series of images were found on the computer.”

Defending Benson, Mr. David Traynor argued that his client posed no ongoing risk to children and requested that the court consider a conditional discharge instead of imprisonment. He highlighted the hardships Benson had endured over the past 18 months, including graffiti vandalism on his house and car, which he claimed amounted to a form of punishment in itself. Mr. Traynor stated, “In reality, the last two years have been more of a sentence and a punishment than anything you would issue today, your honour.”

However, Judge Anthony Lancaster expressed concern about the community’s safety and the broader implications of child pornography. He stated, “I do not condone vigilante actions but he will be dealt with by the courts.” The judge emphasized that downloading indecent images, whether knowingly or unknowingly, increases the risk of child abuse. He concluded by telling Benson, “By not taking that advice (from the police), you took a risk to continue using the site and thus the images continued to come on to your computer.” The court’s decision reflected the serious stance taken against such offenses, underscoring the importance of safeguarding children from exploitation and abuse.