PAUL LAMB FROM PELTON FELL SENTENCED TO TWO YEARS FOR CHILD ABUSE IMAGES IN COUNTY DURHAM

In a disturbing case that has shocked the local community, Paul Lamb, a resident of Pelton Fell near Chester-le-Street in County Durham, has been sentenced to two years in prison after being found guilty of possessing a vast collection of illegal images depicting child abuse. The conviction follows a detailed investigation into his online activities, which revealed that Lamb had viewed and stored more than 1,200 horrifying images involving children as young as three years old.

Durham Crown Court heard that police officers visited Lamb’s home in Shelley Court, Pelton Fell, as part of ongoing efforts to monitor his compliance with the conditions of his status as a registered sex offender. Lamb, aged 49, was previously convicted in 2009 on multiple charges, including 16 counts of making indecent images and one count of possession. Following that conviction, he was required to sign the sex offenders’ register and was subject to a sexual harm prevention order, which restricted his internet usage to public places such as libraries or workplaces.

Despite these restrictions, Lamb was found to have breached the terms of his order. The court was told that he admitted to further offending, which included 18 counts of possessing indecent images between April and September of the current year. The breach was uncovered during a police visit when a mobile phone with internet capabilities was inadvertently activated in his pocket. When officers asked if he was violating the conditions of his order, Lamb responded, “I think I am,” confirming suspicions of non-compliance.

The images discovered on his device were particularly disturbing, with 251 classified as Category A, indicating the most severe level of abuse, alongside 280 Category B and 673 Category C images. The analysis of the phone’s internet history by the computer crime unit revealed that Lamb had accessed and stored a total of 1,204 images. Prosecutor Chris Baker highlighted that Lamb had a sexual preference for teenage girls, which added to the severity of his offending.

Further investigation revealed that Lamb used online aliases such as Davros 2000 and Davros 1966, despite being warned against using false identities. The court was told that Lamb’s actions demonstrated a blatant disregard for the restrictions placed upon him and posed a significant risk to vulnerable children. Judge Simon Hickey sentenced Lamb to two years in prison, with the judge stating that Lamb would serve half of the sentence in custody and the remainder on license. In his sentencing remarks, Judge Hickey emphasized the gravity of Lamb’s crimes, stating, “These are very young children who must have been abused. They must have suffered serious harm.” The case underscores the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to combat online child exploitation and protect the most vulnerable members of society.