Washington man who admitted uploading child abuse images onto chat app caught after transatlantic investigation

Michael Spowart put 10 vile images onto Kik, where people have online conversations with individuals or groups, and the authorities in the USA were alerted.

Newcastle Crown Court heard US investigators passed the information they had to the National Crime Agency in the UK and Spowart was traced through his IP address.

Spowart, 38, of Chiltern Close, Lambton, Washington, was arrested in June 2024 and admitted distributing eight category A images, which are the most serious, and distributing two category B.

Prosecutor Laura Peto told the court: "When interviewed he admitted the offences but claimed he wasn't aware of uploading images as he was under the influence of drugs at the time.

"When asked where he got the images from he claimed he had been sent them.

"He said he had uploaded them on an old tablet which was since discarded."

Spowart told investigators he believed he had uploaded the images in 2022. The court heard Spowart was convicted and given a suspended sentence last year for publishing an obscene article about the sexualisation of children, which was posted on Reddit.

Jason Smith, defending, said Spowart, who was vulnerable with mental health issues, has co-operated with the terms of that suspended sentence order and has made good progress.

Mr Smith said: "He acknowledges the devastating effect these matters have on the victims.

"He would now never imagine sharing this type of material with anyone or receiving it or looking at it or accessing it at all."

Judge Sarah Mallett told Spowart: "Police received information from a report provided by the equivalent organisation in the US indicating that you had uploaded images to the Kik platform.

"The fact they were uploaded would mean they were available for viewing by a large audience."

Judge Mallett said it remains unclear how many people, if any, viewed the images uploaded by Spowart.

He was sentenced to two years, suspended for two years with programme and rehabilitation requirements and a £300 fine.

He was ordered to abide by a sexual harm prevention order and sign the sex offenders register for ten years.