PETER FINNEY FROM BRANSTON AND BURTON JAILED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

In September 2003, a disturbing case involving child abuse images led to the imprisonment of Peter Finney, a 41-year-old man from Burton. Finney was sentenced to eight months in prison after admitting to 16 charges related to the possession and creation of indecent images of children. Additionally, he was ordered to register as a sex offender for the next ten years, reflecting the severity of his crimes.

The investigation that uncovered Finney’s activities was part of a broader international effort. Police officers raided his former residence on Shobnall Street in Burton as part of Operation Ore, a joint initiative between British law enforcement agencies and the FBI. This operation was launched to identify individuals in the UK who had paid to view child pornography online using their credit or debit cards. The probe was triggered by information from the US Post Office, which provided financial data linking Finney to the illegal activity.

During the raid, authorities seized Finney’s computer, which contained evidence of his involvement in viewing and possibly distributing child abuse images. On the device, investigators discovered 16 indecent images of children, some classified as “hard-core,” depicting adults engaging in sexual acts with children and committing other indecent acts. These images represented a grave violation of child safety and highlighted the dangerous nature of the material Finney accessed.

Prosecutor Alexander Jacob explained that Finney had subscribed to the Landslide website in 1999, paying nearly 30 US dollars for a month’s access. The site was known for hosting illegal child pornography content. Finney’s online activity also included a subscription to a German adult site last year, further indicating his ongoing engagement with such material. When questioned by police, Finney claimed he had accessed these sites out of curiosity and was unaware that viewing such images was a criminal offense.

Judge John Shand, presiding over the case, sentenced Finney to eight months in prison. In his remarks, the judge emphasized the importance of deterring such behavior, stating, “I want to send out a message to people who subscribe to these sort of networks. By doing so, they fuel that trade, leading way down the line to abuse of children.” The judge’s comments underscored the broader implications of individual actions in perpetuating child exploitation.

Defense lawyer Malcolm Morse argued that Finney’s interest in adult pornography was shared with his wife and that his actions stemmed from curiosity rather than malicious intent. He acknowledged that, although his client’s interest was lawful in a different context, it had unfortunately led him into viewing deeply disturbing and dangerous material, which is a criminal offense. The case serves as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by online child abuse images and the importance of ongoing vigilance and enforcement to protect vulnerable children.