A West Cumbrian man caught with scores of images showing the sexual abuse of children has been jailed for three years by a judge.
Jason Nicholls, 33, was visited by police on October 14, 2021, and arrested. A number of electronic devices, including a Samsung moniker phone, were seized.
Analysis showed Nicholls had accessed 160 illegal images of children. Ninety-six were classed in category A — the most serious — with 28 in category B and 36 in category C.
Some of these were accessible while others were recovered by police using specialist software. Images all featured females, the youngest being aged four.
In addition, there were also 25 extreme pornographic images found along with WhatsApp chat with another user which included the discussion of illegal pictures and exchange.
Nicholls, of Black How, Seascale, admitted making and distributing indecent photographs of children and possession of extreme pornographic images. His only previous conviction had been recorded in 2008, for dangerous driving.
Kim Whittlestone, giving mitigation, said references had been provided to the court in support of Nicholls.
The probation service was very much of the view that the defendant — and the community at large — would benefit from his engagement with a government-backed sex offender treatment programme.
“These offences were committed at a time when the stable relationship he was in had broken down. He was drinking heavily and engaged in contact with others over the internet,” said Miss Whittlestone. “He is remorseful for his offending behaviour.”
After retiring to consider his sentence, Recorder Peter Atherton imposed a three-year prison sentence. Nicholls must sign the sex offenders’ register for an indefinite period.
