Pervert caught with indecent images in South Yorkshire tells police he has now "lost everything"

Robert Sheridan, aged 43, was arrested after police had received information and had visited his former address on Limes Way, Gawber, Barnsley, and seized a laptop, according to a Sheffield Crown Court hearing.

Ian Goldsack, prosecuting, told the hearing on January 25: “An analysis uncovered suspicious accessing of indecent images of children and therefore at 2.20am, on July 17, 2018, he was arrested to which he replied, ‘I have lost everything’.”

Mr Goldsack added that following further investigations indecent images of children were found on a total of two laptops including category A, B and C images, with category A being the most serious.

One computer included one category A moving file, one category B still image and four category C images, and the other laptop had three category A images, six category B images and eight category C images.

Sheridan told police he had been struggling with loneliness and his mental health and his life had come to revolve around the internet including chat sites.

He added that his circumstances had declined and he had seen a doctor about anxiety and depression and he was ashamed about viewing the material found.

Mr Goldsack said Sheridan had been a civilian employee with the police as a crime scene investigator.

Sheridan, now of Ringwood Way, Hemsworth, near Pontefract, pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children relating to category A, B and C images.

Timothy Jacobs, defending, said Sheridan who is academically-gifted was unable to cope with what life threw at him and he suffered with loneliness and depression.

Mr Jacobs added Sheridan has expressed shame and remorse and he has pursued counselling to put his life back on track.

Judge Michael Slater sentenced Sheridan to six months of custody suspended for two years with a Rehabilitation Activity Requirement and an accredited sex-offender programme.

Sheridan was also made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for five years.

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