A Lytham Paedophile, Sam Partington, investigated by Cumbria Police was discovered in possession of disturbing child abuse films including infants as young as four, a court was informed.
Sam Partington was summoned to court after he unlawfully accessed a woman’s social media accounts and appropriated her private photographs.
Upon examining the equipment of the 30-year-old, law enforcement discovered several indecent photographs and films depicting the sexual assault of youngsters.
Preston Crown Court was informed that Sam Partington infiltrated a woman’s Facebook and Snapchat accounts, appropriated photographs, and subsequently altered the login credentials to obstruct the victim’s access to her own accounts.
The court heard Sam Partington stored hundreds of indecent images on three devices, including an iPhone.
He hid files inside what appeared to be a calculator app.
Passing sentence, Recorder Daniel Prowse said: “Each one of the children shown in those images and videos is a real child being sexually abused.
“Some involved the most serious and damaging types of sexual abuse.
“Some of the children depicted were particularly vulnerable due to their age.
“The harm, both physical and psychological, that is caused to children who are the subject of this sort of abuse can be lifelong in nature.”
The judge accepted evidence that the Covid lockdown and Sam Partington losing his job contributed to the offending because the defendant was spending long periods alone in his bedroom.
He said Sam Partington had a ‘good job’ and was seeking support for his mental health.
The court heard Sam Partington had denied having a sexual interest in children but Recorder Prowse said ‘the evidence in this case demonstrates comprehensively to the contrary’.
“I do remind myself, however, that it is not uncommon for people with such a sexual interest to come to terms with the enormity of that realisation,” the judge added.
Sam Partington, of Cecil Street in Lytham, was jailed for 29 months for a number of offences, including hacking offences under the Computer Misuse Act, s170 Data Protection Act and making indecent images of children.
Cumbria Police said the investigation forms part of Sam Partington, the force’s ongoing response to serious and organised crime.
Detective Constable Jon Hill from Cumbria Constabulary’s Cyber and Digital Crime Unit said Sam Partington ‘used technology as a weapon to exert control’.
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.