ROBIN CARTWRIGHT FROM LITTLE SUTTON PLEADS GUILTY TO CHILD PORNOGRAPHY OFFENSES IN CHESTER

In February 2013, Robin Cartwright, a resident of Little Sutton, faced serious criminal charges related to the possession of a significant number of indecent images and videos depicting children. The case was heard at Chester Crown Court, where it was revealed that Cartwright had downloaded a total of 3,855 such illicit materials, sparking widespread concern and media attention.

Robin Cartwright, aged 24 and residing on Robinson Road in Little Sutton, attempted to shift blame for his actions onto his younger brother. He claimed that his brother was responsible for the downloads, which were discovered on two home computers and a laptop stored under his sibling’s bed. The court heard that the images ranged in severity, with police finding six of the most extreme Level 5 images, along with six at Level 4, twenty at Level 3, fifty-one at Level 2, and a staggering 3,772 at Level 1. Additionally, there were 22 videos involving children, all of which were recovered during the investigation.

Prosecutor Jean Maxwell explained that initially, Cartwright provided an alibi for the dates when the images were downloaded. His father and brother were questioned by authorities; however, the father was found to be coaching football at the time, and the brother was on a Duke of Edinburgh trip, making their alibis questionable. Police investigations uncovered that Cartwright’s eBay account had been accessed during a five-hour window coinciding with the time of the downloads, casting doubt on his claims of innocence. It was noted that Cartwright had been involved in viewing adult pornography regularly since he was 19, but the extent of his involvement with child exploitation material was a grave concern.

The court also heard that Cartwright’s criminal history included a previous conviction in September 2010 for his role in a drug gang responsible for flooding various regions, including Ellesmere Port, Ormskirk, North Wales, Avon, and Somerset, with cocaine. Despite this, he had been released from prison on license and was supposed to adhere to certain restrictions. Instead, he continued to access and download illegal images from his family’s home computers.

During the hearing, defense lawyer Peter Barnett argued that Cartwright had only viewed a limited number of the images and that many had been deleted. Barnett emphasized that his client was attempting to rebuild his life, seeking to move out of his family home, maintain stable employment, and leave his past behind. However, the judge, Elgan Edwards, the Recorder of Chester, was clear in his assessment. He sentenced Cartwright to six months in prison, suspended for two years, and ordered him to comply with a sexual offences prevention order. The judge remarked that although viewing adult pornography is not illegal, it becomes concerning when it involves children, especially for someone of Cartwright’s age, indicating an unhealthy pattern of behavior.

Furthermore, Robin Cartwright has been required to sign the Sex Offenders Register, a designation that will remain in effect for ten years, reflecting the seriousness of his offenses and the ongoing risk to the community.