Wellingborough paedophile downloaded sick files over nine years

He's been in court this week
Northampton Crown Court.Northampton Crown Court.
Northampton Crown Court.

A twisted paedophile from Wellingborough downloaded vile child abuse files for nine years before he was eventually caught.

Antony Squires, 64, was finally arrested at his home in 2017 after a tip-off that the material was on his devices.

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But a delay in examining the equipment meant it wasn't until 2020 that more than 500 sick images and videos were logged by police.

Squires, of Hunt Close, was spared from prison at Northampton Crown Court on Tuesday (May 25).

The court heard police executed a warrant and seized a large number of devices, of which five were later found to have depraved material on.

Before the devices had been examined he was interviewed and gave no comment answers.

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Prosecuting, Jonathan Dunne said it was deemed that the case "did not warrant any expedited examination of the equipment seized and so it joined the back of the queue".

The devices were then not examined until 2020 when they were found to contain 323 category A files (of which 184 were videos), 124 category B files (of which 44 were videos) and 135 in category C (of which 15 were videos). Category A shows the most severe abuse.

Police also found 59 extreme pornographic files depicting sex with animals.

Mr Dunne said: "When the computer was examined these images were spread over a nine-year period from May 2007 to November 2016.

"The offending had been going on for some time."

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Factory worker Squires was then re-interviewed once the files were found - and again gave no comment answers.

He later admitted possessing indecent images of children and extreme pornographic images before magistrates.

Mitigating, Liam Muir said Squires had got rid of his electronic devices and has engaged with a sex offender management team since the incident.

The court heard he has no intention to get another device capable of accessing the internet.

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Mr Muir said the paedophile told him: "I have lived without one for four years now. I do not need one."

Sentencing, His Honour Judge Rupert Mayo said children were abused and groomed so people like Squires could watch videos of it.

He told the paedophile: "You were adding significantly to the abuse of children and I'm sure you understand this now.

"This is not, and never has been, a victimless crime."

Squires was sentenced to 10 months in prison, suspended for 18 months, and told he would have to take part in rehabilitation activities.

He will be on the register for sex offenders for 10 years and subject to a sexual harm prevention order for five years, restricting his use of the internet and devices.