‘Pathetic’ South Yorkshire man downloaded ‘vile’ child abuse videos

Police seized five devices from Steven Morley's then home on Scholars Gate, Cudworth, Barnsley, on July 13, 2016, which contained 56 Category A videos, 26 Category B videos, and 780 Category images, when Category A is of the "very worst type", Sheffield Crown Court heard on Friday.

Prosecutor Neil Coxon said the videos showed "pain and distress being suffered by children", and Morley made "deliberate and systematic searches" for the images.

James Baird, mitigating, said a psychiatric report confirmed Morley was suffering from depression, the probation service didn't assess him as requiring sex offender treatment, and there was a low risk of reconviction for sexual crimes.

"We're now three and a half years on and he's not committed any further offences," Mr Baird said.

Morley, 40, of Brierley Road, South Hiendley, Wakefield, admitted possessing child porn when he appeared at the crown court, in November 2019.

Judge Roger Thomas QC noted that police didn't interview him again until the end of 2018, and said the delay "defeats the cause of justice."

"It wasn't until the end of 2019 that finally this case staggered into this court," he said.

"It's wholly unsatisfactory that courts find themselves sentencing people for things that happened years and years ago.”

He told Morley: "What you're doing is contributing to what is really happening to real children somewhere in the world.

“These images are produced by people who have young children who are subjected to vile abuse so pathetic individuals like yourself can watch in the privacy of your own homes.

"But watching it in your own home doesn't mean that real things aren't happening to real children."

But he also noted that Morley's life fell apart in 2011 after the death of his ten-month-old son, and he suffered a mental breakdown.

The judge imposed a 12 month community order, with 30 rehabilitation days, and put him on the Sex Offenders' Register for five years.

He must also abide by the terms of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.