South Tyneside pervert caught with hundreds of sickening child abuse images

The evidence of burley Christopher Downs’ twisted satisfactions was found by police after they raided his Jarrow home.

They discovered messages on the 35-year-old’s mobile phone which recorded his depraved sex pleasures.

Downs, of Regent Road, shared his thoughts with other abuse voyeurs, prosecutor Glenda Beck told borough magistrates.

His messages referenced some of the indecent photos and videos – over 1,000 at the worst abuse level – in his collection uncovered on Friday, April 23.

Some showed the sexual abuse of children aged just two, with many more under eight.

Mrs Beck said: “The charges speak for themselves. Police executed a search warrant at the defendant’s address.

“His mobile phone was seized, he confirmed he was the only person who had access to it.

“Following that, messages are found. They showed evidence that he has shared these images with other persons.

“From conversations from the phone, they have sexual gratification from the sight of these images.

“Some images are of children between two and four, some between five and seven and some between four and six.”

Mrs Beck added the inclusion of Category A images meant Downs’ crimes were so serious they must be dealt with at crown court.

Downs pleaded guilty to three charges of possessing to show or distribute an indecent photograph or pseudo-photograph of a child.

The charges relate to two photos and 39 videos at the most serious category A classification.

He also had two Category B images and seven videos, and three category C images.

Downs further admitted three charges of making an indecent photograph or pseudo-photograph of a child.

They relate to 204 images and 787 videos at Category A, 345 images and 263 videos at Category B, and 340 images and 239 videos at category C.

Joanne Gatens, defending, told magistrates: “The distribution of these images would place this outside your sentencing powers.”

Downs was granted unconditional bail to be sentenced at Newcastle Crown Court on Tuesday, December 14.

He was told he was immediately subject to the terms of the sex offenders register and must report to a police station within three days.

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