July 2013
Sunderland loner had 1,983 indecent images of children
A LONER was found in possession of nearly 2,000 indecent images of children.
David Bridge, of Lily Street, Sunderland, had his property searched by police, who discovered 1,983 images and movies on his computer, a laptop and two USB memory sticks last September.
Neil Pallister, prosecuting at Newcastle Crown Court, said: “He said he searched for the images out of curiosity. He said he didn’t get any sexual gratification from it.”
Bridge, 49, pleaded guilty to making and possessing indecent images of children at an earlier hearing and appeared at court yesterday for sentence.
Jamie Adams, defending, said: “He is a somewhat lonely individual who has tried to make relationships in the past but has not succeeded. It gets harder, the older he gets.
“He looks after his mother; she is in her 80s and she has shingles at the moment, and her twin sister died three weeks ago. There is no one else to look after her.”
Judge Roger Thorn QC told Bridge: “You have lived a lonely life, you have had difficulty making relationships and in this modern age you will find some degree of relief going on the internet. But these are children, and while there are people making money out of this, you are part of the problem.”
The judge sentenced Bridge to eight months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years, and ordered him to attend a sexual offenders’ programme for 54 days.
Bridge must also sign the sex offenders’ register for 10 years.
