Internet Perv Arrested At Work For Child Porn Stash

An internet pervert, who downloaded hardcore child pornography and told police he enjoyed viewing the sick material because it was “taboo”, was ordered today to undergo three years of sex offender treatment.

Christian Walsh, 21, of Cypress Road, Guildford, Surrey was arrested at work when officers arrived at the west London premises of his employers.

“You are a customer at the lower end of the scale, you did not distribute and you have not downloaded the material for a considerable period of time,” Southwark Crown Court Judge Nicholas Lorraine-Smith told Walsh.

“That allows me not to send you to prison, but if I did it would be for a short period and you would not receive any treatment.

“It is for the good of the public and for you to have extensive treatment that will take three years.

"With the public in mind that is the most sensible sentence.”

Walsh had already pleaded guilty at Hammersmith Magistrates' Court to seven counts of possessing indecent images of children on or before January 16.

The court heard police tracked Walsh down to his place of work and he immediately made full admissions and told officers they would find child pornography on his laptop computer.

When the computer was analysed nine images were found at level one, the lowest grade, two at level two, four at level three, nine at level four and one at level five – the most extreme.

Also discovered were two movies with images at level four and level five.

Prosecutor Mrs Usha Shergill told the court: “All were in a live section of the computer, which means Mr. Walsh had ready access.

“He admitted that he was in possession and that he would chat on websites about watersports and occasionally the abuse of children, which he described as embarking on a journey of pure fantasy.

“He said he was sexually submissive and was playing along with people's fantasies and would adopt the role of the child and would masturbate to images and liked the fact that they were taboo.”

Walsh's lawyer Miss Jennifer Oborne said: “This seems to stem from a desire to take part in offending that seems taboo.

“He started out at a lower level and then things escalated.”

Judge Lorraine-Smith said: “If I were to send him to prison it would be for a few weeks and he would get no treatment and he needs treatment.”

The judge told Walsh: “If people look at child pornography it creates a market and more children are sexually abused to feed that market.”

Walsh was sentenced to a three-year community order, which includes a sex offender treatment programme.

He was made subject to a five-year Sex Offenders Prevention Order, which controls his internet use and contact with children, and must sign the sex offenders register for five years.

“If you breach that order I will reserve it to myself so you will be back before me,” Judge Lorraine-Smith told Walsh, also ordering him to pay £250 costs.