Two Newcastle men caught with child abuse images keep their freedom
Two men caught with child abuse images on their mobile phones have kept their freedom.
Abdullah Hamood and Essa Oghul's handsets were seized after police received information about an interaction they had on Facebook in January 2021.
Newcastle Crown Court heard no charges resulted from that social media activity but investigations revealed both had illegal images on their phones and some of them been distributed over WhatsApp.
The court heard Hamood's phone contained seven category A videos, which is the most serious type, three category B images and two category C, showing children aged between seven and 15.
He had distributed six category A images via WhasApp and claimed he had done this as a "joke".
On Oghul's phone police found four category C images, featuring children aged between two and four, as well as one image and four videos of extreme pornography involving animals.
He had distributed one category C image.
Hamood, 28, of Walkerdene House, Walker, Newcastle, admitted one charge of distributing indecent photographs and three of making indecent photographs between February 2020 and March 2021.
He was sentenced to 20 months suspended for 18 months with rehabilitation requirements and 250 hours unpaid work.
Hamood must sign the sex offenders register and abide by a sexual harm prevention order for ten years.
Oghul, 46, of Todds Nook, Newcastle, admitted one charge of distributing an indecent photograph, one of making indecent photographs and one of possessing extreme pornography between March 2020 and December 2022.
He was sentenced to an 18 month community order with rehabilitation requirements and 150 hours of unpaid work.
He must sign the sex offenders register and abide by a sexual harm prevention order for five years.
Mr Recorder Peter Makepeace KC said he rejected outright the suggestion of a "joke" and added: "Just think for one second how you would explain to any right thinking person how distributing this material could ever be humour or a joke."
The recorder said immediate custody could be avoided as there were a limited number of images involved and the men have stayed out of trouble since the offences were committed, which was some time ago.
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