Newcastle Crown Court told pervert downloaded hundreds of child sex abuse images across 3 devices

Police raided Terence Foster's home and seized a hard drive, a laptop and a mobile phone in January 2023 which after examination showed to contain the illegal material.

Newcastle Crown Court heard 428 images which were mainly still but included two moving, were found across the categories A, B and C.

The 45-year-old, of Worthing Close, Wallsend, North Tyneside, pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children and also one count of possessing prohibited images of a child.

Prosecuting, Graham O'Sullivan said the offending took place over a year from December 2021 to 2022, before his eventual arrest on January 7, 2023.

Mr O'Sullivan said that 68 images were found in the most serious category A, alongside ten in B and two videos.

There were 264 category C images also uncovered across all of the devices alongside prohibited images.

The court heard the material showed children as young as four and that Foster had been part of a WhatsApp group where other pictures were being viewed.

Mr Recorder Mark Giuliani told him: "On the 7th of January 2023, over two years ago now, police attended your home and your home was searched and several devices were seized.

"These devices contained images of children.

"The category A images showed sexual abuse of children, children as young as four-years-old I am told.

"In total there were 428 images."

The recorder sentenced Foster to 12 months suspended for 18 months due to his previous clean record, remorse, and prospect of rehabilitation.

He added: "You initially denied responsibility when you were interviewed but buy the second interview you admitted being responsible for the content on the devices."

Foster will also be made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order issued by the court, and will have to sign the sex offender's register, both for ten years.

Mark Harrison, defending, accepted the offending crossed the custodial threshold but said it could be suspended.

Mr Harrison told the court Foster was deeply ashamed and apologetic for his actions.

He said: "What may have been lost upon him a number of years ago certainly isn't lost upon him now.

"This is child abuse on the screen and he recognises that.

"He has reflected very carefully on that."

Foster was also said to have no previous convictions to his name.

He will also complete 40 hours of unpaid work and 40 rehabilitation days.