A Longport paedophile, Warren Leese, has evaded an immediate prison term after being discovered in possession of nearly 500 obscene photos of minors.
Warren Leese was apprehended after he interacted online with a woman named Kimberley, only to realise she was an undercover police officer.
They deliberated on facilitating the defendant’s visitation to her, during which he would sexually assault her children in her presence.
A 50-year-old father was apprehended on October 9, 2023, and law enforcement confiscated two laptops, a hard drive, and a mobile phone.
They were discovered to possess 496 obscene photographs of minors.
Warren Leese received an 18-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court.
Law enforcement retrieved 118 obscene photographs of children classified as category A, the most severe; 170 images, including one moving image, categorised as category B; and 208 images classified as category C.
Additionally, there were two illicit photographs of minors and two extreme pornographic images involving minors.
Warren Leese, residing on Station Street in Longport, admitted guilt to three offences: possessing indecent photos of minors, possessing a forbidden image of a child, and possessing an extreme pornographic image.
The prosecution presented no evidence about the accusation of attempting to publish an indecent piece, and a plea of not guilty was submitted.
Kelly Cyples, in mitigation, stated that Leese has subsequently lost his employment after disclosing his offences to his employer.
Warren Leese is currently employed as a trade plate driver.
The suspended sentence entails a 25-day rehabilitation activity mandate and 200 hours of community service without compensation.
Judge Andrew Tatton stated: “The notably malevolent aspect of this case is the conditions under which the police became informed of your possession of these images.”
In August 2023, a police officer using a pseudonym in a chatroom became aware of you, and over time, the two of you conversed about your involvement in sexual activities with the children of the individual with whom you were speaking.
You did not seize the opportunity to meet with that individual. Nonetheless, it constitutes a profoundly unsettling context for the offences and exacerbates them. “A few months later, law enforcement visited your residence, apprehended you, and confiscated your electronic devices.”
You have incurred significant losses. It has come to my attention that you have lately lost your job. You have obtained temporary employment.
However, I foresee that, due to the local media, you may indeed forfeit that. Your residence has also been lost. You lament your transgression.
A considerable number of children endure substantial injury, degradation, and abuse so that individuals like you can view photographs of them online. We are perpetually unaware of the whereabouts of these children.
We remain unaware of the lives they lead following the indignities they endure for individuals like you to observe from behind a computer screen. Your employment has been terminated. Your residence has been forfeited. However, they have forfeited their youth. “I am confident that there exists a plausible opportunity for rehabilitation in your situation.” Should you revert to such offences, the ensuing sentence will be severe.
Leese was subjected to a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order and was registered on the Sex Offenders’ Register for the subsequent decade.
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