Serial Sunderland sex offender caught with sickening 'cartoon' images of child abuse

William Carmody, who has abused children in the past and still poses a risk, had tried to delete the shocking images from his mobile phone when police went to his home.

But Newcastle Crown Court heard an officer managed to grab the handset from him and found ten cartoon pictures depicting depraved abuse.

Prosecutor Anne Richardson told the court the 44-year-old has a "prediliction with children, both male and female" and was on the sex offenders register and subject to a sexual harm prevention order due to his past convictions.

In March 2020 police, who had tried but failed to make an appointment to visit Carmody, turned up at his home and asked to see his phone.

Miss Richardson said: "He said he didn't have one but in fact one was on charge in the room.

"He tried to delete the images, or anything on that phone, until the detective constable was able to grab the device from him."

The court heard a troubling cartoon image of a child was visible on the phone and a further nine images were found when the device was examined.

Miss Richardson added: "Although they are cartoons, they are extreme images."

Carmody, of Arthol Road, Sunderland, admitted possessing prohibited images of a child, breach of a sexual harm prevention order by not declaring the phone and failing to comply with sex offender registration requirements by changing his address without notifying the authorities.

Miss Richardson said: "It is disquieting he has been able to access the internet, has been downloading these photos and has been, presumably, enjoying looking at those for some time before the police managed to speak to himand took his mobile phone."

Judge Tim Gittins said having such images is "extremely serious", could be a "precursor to further contact offences being risked" and demonstrate a failure to alter past behaviour.

The judge sentenced Carmody to 22 months behind bars and ordered him to sign the sex offenders register and abide by a sexual harm prevention order for life.

The court heard Carmody believed the images were "less serious" as they did not involve actual children.

Vic Laffey, defending, said Carmody has accepted he needs help and is willing to work with the authorities and complete sex offender programmes in future.

Mr Laffey said Carmody has problems with his mental health and alcohol misuse.

The court heard Carmody has previous convictions for offences including indecent assault, gross indecency, exposure and outraging public decency.