February 2016
Pervert who downloaded indecent images of children onto his computer avoids jail
A pervert caught with indecent images of children has avoided jail.
Police went to Thomas McCabe’s home in Shawforth after enquiries indicated he had been downloading indecent images onto computer software.
Officers recovered two computer hard drives with 21 images including six of category A – the most serious – along with seven of category B and eight of category C.
McCabe, 43, pleaded guilty at Burnley Crown Court to three counts of making indecent photographs and one count of possessing indecent photographs of children.
He was given a six month prison sentence, suspended for two years with a supervision requirement, and ordered to pay £500 costs.
McCabe was also ordered to sign the sex offenders register for seven years and given a sexual harm prevention order for the same length.
Stephen Parker, prosecuting, told the court how police seized two computer hard drives in October 2014.
The court heard how Detective Carter, of the high tech crime unit, said the majority of images were recovered from the internet cache of the user, named ‘Tom’.
Mr Parker said during his police interview he denied the offences but later pleaded guilty at court.
Judge Jonathan Gibson said the prison sentence ‘ought to be suspended’.
He said: “The pre-sentence report indicates a good deal of self-awareness as to your offending and it’s quite clear you’ve been embarrassed and felt shame and remorse.
“It seems to me there is plenty of work which the probation service can do with you which will guard against any future risk of offending.”
