Man who downloaded hundreds of serious child abuse images and video is spared jail

A contractor who used hotel wi-fi to download hundreds of serious child abuse images and videos has escaped jail.
Alexander Paterson, 33, was given a two-year suspended prison sentence for three counts of possessing indecent images of children, one count making indecent images of children.Alexander Paterson, 33, was given a two-year suspended prison sentence for three counts of possessing indecent images of children, one count making indecent images of children.
Alexander Paterson, 33, was given a two-year suspended prison sentence for three counts of possessing indecent images of children, one count making indecent images of children.

Alexander Paterson, 33, who was arrested at a Carnforth hotel, was given a two-year suspended prison sentence at Preston Crown Court.

He was also made subject to a sexual harm prevention order and placed on the sexual offenders register for ten years.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

National Crime Agency officers arrested the construction worker in the car park of a hotel in Carnforth in May 2016.

The hotel was one of several Paterson had stayed in for work and whose wi-fi he used to download indecent images of children.

The officers seized his Dell laptop from his bag and other computer equipment from his hotel room and home in Aviemore, Scotland.

Forensic examination revealed the laptop to contain hundreds of picture and videos of child abuse, many in the most serious category.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Under the sexual harm prevention order Paterson must declare future ownership of digital devices and online storage accounts and submit them to inspection on demand.

It was his second conviction for possession of indecent images of children. He was given a community payback order and placed on the sex offenders register for two years in 2014.