ROBERT DACEY FROM GOSFORTH AND NEWCASTLE ESCAPES JAIL AFTER HORRIFIC CHILD ABUSE VIDEO HOARDING

In August 2021, a disturbing case emerged involving Robert Dacey, a man from Gosforth, Newcastle, who was found to have been collecting and storing a horrifying collection of child abuse videos over a period of eight years. The investigation revealed that Dacey, aged 42 at the time, had amassed a sickening trove of more than 350 videos depicting children as young as five years old. These videos were discovered when police executed a search warrant at his residence in Gosforth, Newcastle, seizing his iPhone and a hard drive for forensic analysis.

During the search, authorities uncovered a disturbing assortment of digital material, including 63 videos and images classified as extreme pornography. The electronic devices contained a total of 154 videos categorized as Category A, which involved underage girls engaging in sexual acts with adult males. Additionally, there were 134 videos and images classified as Category B, along with 70 items falling under Category C, illustrating a range of exploitative content involving minors.

At the time of his arrest, Dacey was identified as a father of two and was residing on Whitton Place, in the High Heaton area of Newcastle. He pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children and one count of possessing extreme pornography, which included a video involving a woman and a dog. Despite the severity of his offenses, Dacey was not immediately sent to prison. Instead, Newcastle Crown Court heard that Judge Edward Bindloss considered the possibility of rehabilitation and decided to suspend his sentence.

Judge Bindloss sentenced Dacey to 12 months in prison, suspended for two years. The judge emphasized that this case marked a significant turning point in Dacey’s life, noting that prior to these offenses, he had struggled with mental health issues but did not have an autism spectrum diagnosis. Since his arrest, Dacey had actively sought help and demonstrated a motivation to change his ways. The judge acknowledged that while the offenses crossed the threshold for immediate custody, the steps Dacey had taken towards rehabilitation justified a suspended sentence.

Police had executed the search warrant on February 27 of the previous year, seizing the electronic devices which, after forensic analysis, revealed the extent of Dacey’s illegal collection. Prosecutor Omar Ahmad explained that the age range of the children depicted in the videos was between five and 14 years old, with the majority being between seven and ten. The images and videos included depictions of sexual intercourse involving underage girls and adult males, classified as Category A material.

It was also noted that Dacey, who had no prior criminal convictions, had sought help following his arrest. His defense lawyer, Fiona Lamb, stated that Dacey had committed to changing his life forever. As part of his sentence, Dacey was ordered to be subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for ten years and was required to register as a sex offender for the same period, ensuring ongoing monitoring and restrictions to prevent further harm.