Hartlepool
Child Sexual Abuser
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HARTLEPOOL MAN CAUGHT WITH CHILD ABUSE IMAGES GETS SUSPENDED SENTENCE
A Hartlepool man was caught with sick images showing children being sexually abused after police raided his home.
Some of the children in the photos were as young as three-years-old.
Teesside Crown Court has heard that police acted after receiving intelligence about Stephen MacDonald's online activity.
They turned up at his rented home on January 23, last year.
Officers found the illegal material on three mobile phones, a computer, a laptop, and a hard drive.
The 42-year-old had downloaded 7,256 images onto his phones over the course of 16 years.
A further 34 images showed children being seriously attacked.
There were 80,000 more images on MacDonald's devices, but police have not examined them all to see if they contain illegal content.
MacDonald was arrested but refused to answer police questions.
He pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images at Teesside Magistrates' Court on September 17.
During sentencing, Judge Richard Clews described the images as depicting horrendous abuse of very young children.
MacDonald, who has no previous convictions, was handed a 16-month prison sentence suspended for two years, ordered to attend 30 rehabilitation days, and complete 100 hours of unpaid work.
He must register as a sex offender for the next 10 years and is subject to a ten-year sexual harm prevention order restricting his online activity.
The judge warned that any subsequent offence within two years could see the sentence enforced.
Court Outcome
Conviction and Sentencing Details
Sentenced
Detected legal outcome
a 16-month prison sentence suspended for two years, ordered to attend 30 rehabilitation days, and complete 100 hours of unpaid work. He must register as a sex offender for the next 10 years and is subject to a ten-year sexual harm preven...
Suspended sentence
two years
MacDonald, who has no previous convictions, was handed a 16-month prison sentence suspended for two years, ordered to attend 30 rehabilitation days, and complete 100 hours of unpaid work
Community order
100 hours
MacDonald, who has no previous convictions, was handed a 16-month prison sentence suspended for two years, ordered to attend 30 rehabilitation days, and complete 100 hours of unpaid work
Sex Offenders Register
10 years
He must register as a sex offender for the next 10 years and is subject to a ten-year sexual harm prevention order restricting his online activity
Court order
10 years
He must register as a sex offender for the next 10 years and is subject to a ten-year sexual harm prevention order restricting his online activity
