A convicted child predator, the Spennymoor Paedophile from County Durham, Andrew Longthorne, who created and disseminated explicit photographs of child sexual assault on Facebook has been imprisoned.
Between 2016 and 2018, Andrew Longthorne engaged in conversations with unknown individuals on social media, including a person who had been convicted of sexual offences. During these interactions, Andrew Longthorne sent alarming photographs and videos depicting child abuse. The 34-year-old engaged in conversations about sexual fantasies with individuals online and shared explicit material classified as category A, B, and C, including some that he had personally produced.
Andrew Longthorne, a resident of Spennymoor, attended Durham Crown Court on Monday through a video link from HMP Durham. He was being sentenced for offences related to the creation and distribution of inappropriate photos. He had admitted his guilt over the charges.
Anne Richardson, acting as the prosecutor, stated that Durham Police received several reports regarding the posting of explicit pictures on Facebook in 2018. Andrew Longthorne was connected to the distribution by recovering an IP address, prompting further investigations.
According to the court proceedings, Longthorne utilised alternative social media accounts to send pictures to individuals whom they did not know, including one individual who had previously been convicted of a sexual offence. Once, he disguised himself as a juvenile female to engage in online conversations.
In addition to transmitting explicit images, Ms Richardson stated that Andrew Longthorne also sent self-portraits during the conversations, ultimately leading to his arrest in 2018. Initially, he denied the offences and asserted that he did not have a sexual attraction towards youngsters. However, he eventually admitted guilt during his first appearance at the crown court.
According to Victoria Lamballe, the defence attorney, Andrew Longthorne’s most compelling factors in his favour include his admission of guilt and his lack of subsequent criminal behaviour since 2018. According to her, he has displayed a strong feeling of disgust and humiliation towards his conduct, and it is clear that he feels regret. He is prepared to adhere to any directives and is resolute in his efforts to minimise the perceived threat he poses in the future.
Judge Ata Dallas sentenced Longthorne to 31 months in prison and imposed an indefinite sexual harm prevention order on him. Additionally, he will be permanently listed on the sex offender registry.
If you or anyone you know have been affected by the people highlighted in this article, then please report those individuals to the Police on 101 (999 if an emergency) or visit their online resources for further details of the options for reporting a crime. You can also make a report at Crimestoppers should you wish to be completely anonymous. There is help available on our support links page.