JAIL FOR MAN WHO HAD BEEN SEEKING OUT CHILD ABUSE
William Brown, aged 37 from Carleton Rode in Norfolk, attempted to view online material involving child sexual abuse but withdrew from the scheme after suspecting he was being scammed.The police investigation revealed that Brown had been actively searching for child sexual abuse content and had been contacted by a woman claiming to be the mother of a young boy.
She offered to perform sex acts on the child in exchange for money.
Brown requested photographs of the child to verify his existence and was asked to send £70 or £30 for access to different types of abuse images.
However, he did not complete the payments and withdrew, believing he was being deceived.
The court learned that there is uncertainty whether any actual child was involved.
His home was searched in April 2023, leading to the discovery of indecent images, including 28 classified as most serious.
Brown, who had previous convictions for similar offences in 2015, pleaded guilty to attempting to arrange a child sex offence between late May and early June 2022, along with three counts of producing indecent images of a child.
Judge Katharine Moore noted that Brown was seeking material related to a supposed mother and her five-year-old son but emphasised that it was unclear if any child was real.
She stated that Brown ultimately backed out because he feared being scammed, not out of concern for the child.
He was sentenced to 34 months in prison and recognised as a high risk to children.
The defense highlighted that Brown suffers from ADHD, anxiety, and depression, and expressed that he has shown remorse and begun to desist from such behaviour.
Additionally, he was ordered to comply with an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order and registered as a sex offender indefinitely.
