Back in 2021, Richard Lees, the Dibden Paedophile, who had been downloading pornographic photographs for almost 30 years, asserted that he felt the youngsters depicted were not being molested but were models.
Richard Lees was labelled a “collector of images depicting child abuse” by a judge after being discovered in possession of over 54,000 obscene photographs.
On June 4, 2020, law enforcement conducted a search of Richard Lees’ residence and confiscated several electronic devices, as presented before Winchester Crown Court on Friday.
Prosecutor Jack Wright stated that only his desktop computer and mobile phone were scrutinised by law enforcement.
The court was informed that 11 Category B photos and films were located, while 58,489 Category C images and movies were uncovered.
However, the actual extent of the 45-year-old’s criminal activities may be significantly larger, as over 500,000 photographs remained uncategorised due to the police’s lack of resources to download them.
Richard Lees, from The Orchard, Dibden, utilised BitTorrent to obtain the photographs and had three gigabytes of downloads.
During the investigation, police found that Richard Lees would search the same terms and “admitted searching for the same faces on multiple occasions”.
Recorder Power said: “The concern I have, expressed in the interview and the pre-sentence report, Mr Richard Lees had no remorse and doesn’t see downloading images of children as causing children to be abused.”
In mitigation, Graham Gilbert asked the court to consider the Horizon programme, delivered to men who have a sexual conviction who are considered to be at a medium, high or very high risk of reconviction.
Mr Gilbert said: “The great benefit to society is for him to undertake the course and have his thinking and attitudes challenged by a properly qualified individual.”
Recorder Power was given character references from Richard Lees’ former partner and sister, who was said to “demonstrate the good he does to those in his immediate vicinity”.
Richard Lees previously pleaded guilty to two counts of making indecent photographs of children.
In sentencing, Recorder Power said: “You did not see you looking at those images led to children being abused, you thought the children were just models and their parents would be paid for what they did.”
Richard Lees was given a six-month prison sentence, suspended for 24 months. He must also complete 100 hours of unpaid work and 20 rehabilitation days, along with the Horizon programme.
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