Lincolnshire man who admitted distributing indecent images of children spared jail

A Boston man who admitted possessing and distributing indecent images of children has been given a suspended jail sentence.

Connor Stephens, 20, was caught after police executed a search warrant at his then home in Old Leake on January 13, 2022.

Lincoln Crown Court heard indecent images of children and prohibited cartoon images were eventually found on three devices taken from Stephens.

Phil Howes, prosecuting, said in total 702 indecent images of children were recovered which included 662 still images and 40 videos.

A total of 1,403 prohibited images were also found by police which included 1,396 still images and seven videos.

The court heard Stephens chose not to comment to the police after the search of his home, stating he wanted to wait until his devices were checked.

He later pointed to the involvement of a third party when he was interviewed by police.

Stephens pleaded guilty to nine offences between March 2, 2021 and August 22, 2022. Court documents gave his address as Sleaford Road, Boston, but the defence noted he had been of no fixed abode and sofa surfing.

They included five charges of making indecent images of children, two charges of possessing cartoon prohibited images, one charge of distributing four Category A images of children and one charge of distributing three Category A images of children.

Siward James-Moore, mitigating for Stephens, said he was aged between 17 and 19 when these offences were committed.

Mr James-Moore told the court Stephens suffered from autism which left him fascinated with certain cartoon images and also vulnerable to third parties, believing everything that is said to him.

At the end of his police interview Mr Stephens admitted he needed help and did not know when to stop, Mr James-Moore added.

Mr James-Moore argued given his youth Stephens could be spared immediate custody.

Passing sentence Recorder Simon King warned Stephens that if he had been older he would have been looking at a lengthy prison sentence, as this was not a victimless crime.

"These are real children," Recorder King told Stephens.

But Recorder King said aged just 20 he hoped something could still be done with Stephens to stop any future offending.

"With the help of the Probation Service you may well be able to put this behind you. But it is up to you."

Stephens was sentenced to two years in a young offenders institution suspended for two years.

He must also complete 60 rehabilitation activity requirement days and attend a sex offenders course.

A Sexual Harm Prevention Order was also made on Stephens which will last for ten years.

Recorder King warned Stephens: "This won't be easy. You've got to change your ways. If you don't it is prison. It is as simple as that."