Child-porn pervert spared jail by Sheffield judge despite previous convictions

A pervert who was caught with indecent images of children after he had already served a prison sentence for similar offending has been spared from further time behind bars.
By Jon Cooper
Published 25th Aug 2021, 06:48 BST
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Sheffield Crown Court heard on August 23 how Dale Booth, aged 57, was caught with 1,019 indecent images of children including categories A, B and C, with category A being the most serious.

Richard Sheldon, prosecuting, said police went to Booth’s home on June 9, last year, and seized various items including a Samsung tablet computer.

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Officers found Booth had 81 category A images, 66 category B images and 872 category C images, according to Mr Sheldon.

Sheffield Crown Court, pictured, has heard how a child-porn pervert is to undergo rehabilitation after he has been spared from more time behind bars.Sheffield Crown Court, pictured, has heard how a child-porn pervert is to undergo rehabilitation after he has been spared from more time behind bars.
Sheffield Crown Court, pictured, has heard how a child-porn pervert is to undergo rehabilitation after he has been spared from more time behind bars.

Mr Sheldon said: “He said he had made the searches two or three times a week and this would appear to be a pattern of offending.”

Booth, of Cayton Close, New Lodge, Barnsley, pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images relating to categories A, B and C.

The court also heard that Booth was previously sentenced to 16 months of custody for eight previous offences of making indecent images and two previous offences of distribution.

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Ian Mullarkey, defending, said it has never been said that Booth has ever sought to contact any young person and he has not been subject to treatment work before, which would help him and reduce any risk of further offending.

Mr Mullarkey added that if he was sent to custody he would lose his accommodation and his work.

Recorder Alex Menary described the indecent images as “revolting and disgusting material”.

He told Booth: “These matters are seriously aggravated by your previous convictions and although they were committed some time ago – not long after you were released from that licence – you carried on offending as before.”

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However, Recorder Menary said Booth poses a low risk of contact-offending and he has never been subject to a treatment programme before.

He sentenced Booth to 16 months of custody suspended for two years with a Rehabilitation Activity Requirement, 250 hours of unpaid work and a sex-offender treatment programme.

Recorder Menary also made Booth subject to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

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