ROBERT NORMAN

A WARRINGTON dad was caught with sick images of children on his phone and laptop.

Robert Norman admitted to police during an interview that he had 'an interest in children' after officers searched his home on Oxford Court in Fairfield.

He appeared at Warrington Magistrates court on Tuesday for sentencing having pleaded guilty to possession of indecent images of a child, possession of a prohibited images of a child and making indecent images.

Prosecuting, Umer Zeb said the defendant, who works as a cleaner, made a profile on a Russian website which shares indecent images of children.

Police searched his address and seized laptops and phones from the property.

After further investigation, a number of indecent images of minors were found on the devices.

The images are graded by law into categories from A to C with category A being the most severe involving child rape.

Norman, 47, had 32 category C images on his devices as well as four moving images and 19 prohibited images.

Steve Ferns, mitigating, said: "At the time of the offending, it occurred whilst he was suffering with depression.

"After having poor mental health he turned to alcohol." Mr Ferns said his client was of previous good character and that he had an 'understanding of the seriousness of these offences'.

He added: "He has taken steps to address his offending.

He has support from parents and family members." The court heard how Norman currently works as a cleaner.

It was also said the the defendant has a child who he cannot see after social services stopped his contact in light of his offending.

"He wishes to have contact with his child," Mr Ferns said.

Chair of the bench Graham Griffiths concluded the hearing by addressing the defendant, stating that the bench were 'disturbed' by his actions.

Norman was handed a community order for 24 months with the conditions being that he undergo 30 Rehabilitation Requirement Days and 200 hours of unpaid work.

He was also ordered to pay court costs of £199.

"This is as serious as it gets for community orders," Mr Griffiths said.

"It reflects the severity of how we see this matter." A sexual harm prevention order was put in place for the term of 10 years and Norman was ordered to sign onto the sex offenders register for five years.