In 2019, the Offender Database reported that David Thompson, 53, of High Street, Lingdale, North Yorkshire, appeared at Teesside Magistrates’ Court, where he admitted to amassing a vast collection of nearly 15,000 child abuse images. The scale of the recovery was described as significant, with forensic experts identifying 14,452 illegal files stored on his devices.
The court heard that when police raided Thompson’s home in East Cleveland on June 26, 2018, they uncovered a disturbing range of material. The paedophile pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of a child, which included 1,358 Category A images—the most severe legal classification depicting the rape or torture of children. Additionally, there were 995 images in Category B and 12,099 in Category C. Beyond the child abuse material, Thompson also admitted to possessing 1,092 extreme images portraying bestiality and a quantity of the Class B drug amphetamine.
District Judge Tim Capstick dealt with the drug possession by issuing a 12-month conditional discharge, but stated that his powers were insufficient to sentence the more serious sexual offences. Consequently, the case was transferred to Teesside Crown Court for sentencing. The judge warned Thompson that, despite being granted bail to reside at his Lingdale address, his early guilty pleas would be the only credit he would receive, and that a significant custodial sentence was a strong possibility.
As a result of his admissions to serious child sex offences, Thompson was ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register immediately. Upon his sentencing at the Crown Court, he will be subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO). He will be managed under the Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) in North Yorkshire. These measures will ensure that Cleveland Police and the National Probation Service strictly monitor his internet access and residency to protect the public.
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