"Porn-obsessed" Notts man downloaded indecent images of children

Alexander Hitch's Ravenshead home was raided by police at 6.50am, on December 4, 2019, after his IP address was linked to the downloads, said prosecutor Phil Gibbs on Wednesday.

When officers asked him if he had downloaded indecent images, Hitch said: "Yes, possibly on my laptop."

Nottingham Crown Court heard 17 Category A, 216 Category B, and 660 Category C images and movies were discovered, where Category A is the most extreme.

"He said he was stupid and was aware there were indecent images among the downloads," said Mr Gibbs, adding that the youngest subjects were aged 12-13.

Gregor Purcell, mitigating, said Hitch was unlikely to reoffend and the court could stand back from an immediate custodial sentence.

Hitch, 32, of Cheriton Drive, pleaded guilty to three offences, on December 18.

Judge John Burgess said: "These kinds of offences are rightly considered as particularly offensive by the public."

But he said Hitch's previous good character and early guilty plea meant "everybody would be better served if I pass a suspended prison sentence."

He imposed a six month sentence, suspended for 18 months, with 30 rehabilitation days "so he can take part in a course to address what appears to be an obsession with pornography."

A Sexual Harm Prevention Order, banning him from accessing the internet unless his search history can be inspected, was imposed for five years.

He was put on the Sex Offenders Register for ten years.

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