A grieving husband who began viewing child sexual abuse images as he turned to drink after his wife’s sudden death has been sentenced by a judge.
Carlisle Crown Court heard today how one-time RAF technician and Brampton man Bruce Beveridge couldn’t cope with the loss of his partner in 2019 and hit the bottle in the aftermath as his whole world collapsed.
On July 9 2020, police attended at his Dacre Road address and seized a Toshiba laptop which showed 64-year-old Beveridge had begun to access indecent images of youngsters online.
One video lasting seven-and-a-half minutes was located and there was also evidence of the possession of file deletion software which could have been used to remove material.
During a previous magistrates’ court hearing, Beveridge admitted making five indecent photographs of children classed in category A — the most serious.
He was sentenced at the city’s crown court today when defence barrister Judith McCullough said his recollection of the relevant time period had been hazy.
“He is desperately sorry for the offence,” said Ms McCullough, who stressed that Beveridge, a grandfather, had not committed any crimes before or since. “He is deeply ashamed.”
Judge Nicholas Barker heard Beveridge had stopped drinking and would welcome professional help.
The judge imposed a 36-month community order comprising a rehabilitation requirement, attendance on an accredited sex offender treatment course and 120 hours’ unpaid work. Beveridge must sign the sex offenders’ register and comply with the strict terms of a prevention order, both for a period of five years.
A deprivation order was made for the confiscation of his laptop.
