DCSIMG

Carer had thousands of indecent images on PC


Published on Wednesday 17 March 2010 08:20

A carer with an addiction for child pornography, who used his mother's credit card to buy images, has been jailed for three years.

Thomas Purnell, aged 25, was first arrested in July 2008 when officers discovered he had used a card to purchase sick images of child sex abuse.

The Daventry home he shared with his disabled mother was raided on July 16, 2008 and his computer seized.

It held 32,000 picture files, 611 of which were indecent images including a large quantity showing adults sexually abusing children.

The card had been used to buy access to a nudism website and Purnell said he was a "nudist at heart" without a sexual interest in children.

But Northampton Crown Court heard that after he was interviewed in April last year, police discovered he had a new laptop in his bedroom.

Rosa Dean, prosecuting, said he was released on police bail, he was interviewed again in April, but when police returned to his home, they spotted a new computer.

Once that was examined, it was found to hold 4,320 indecent images, including some showing child torture and bestiality.

Purnell, of Howard Close, Daventry, pleaded guilty to 19 charges of making and possessing abusive images.

Judge Ian Alexander QC sentenced him to 12 months and two years, to run consecutively, placed him on the Sex Offenders' Register for life and made him the subject of an indefinite sexual offences prevention order.

He said: "It's plain you have been accessing this material for a number of years."

Richard Hollowing, defending, said Purnell had an addiction to indecent images brought about by "isolation and too much time on his hands".


Find It

"Business owner? - Claim your business and Advertise with us"

In association with qype logo

Looking for...

Featured advertisers

Jobs

Search for a job

Motors

Search for a car

Property

Search for a house

Weather for Northampton

Friday 10 February 2012

5 day forecast

Today

Sunny spells

Sunny spells

Temperature: -6 C to 1 C

Wind Speed: 13 mph

Wind direction: South east

Tomorrow

Sunny spells

Sunny spells

Temperature: -5 C to -0 C

Wind Speed: 7 mph

Wind direction: South east

Press Complaints Commission

This website and its associated newspaper adheres to the Press Complaints Commission’s Code of Practice. If you have a complaint about editorial content which relates to inaccuracy or intrusion, then contact the Editor by clicking here.

If you remain dissatisfied with the response provided then you can contact the PCC by clicking here.