Pervert with indecent images of youngsters in Sheffield fell into a "vortex of self-destruction"

A judge told a Sheffield pervert caught with 252 indecent images of youngsters that he had placed himself into a “vortex of emotional self-destruction”.
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Sheffield Crown Court heard on April 13 how Benjamin Grant, aged 26, was found by police to have two laptop computers with indecent images of children at a property on Hunter House Road, in Sharrow, Sheffield.

Neil Coxon, prosecuting, said police raided the property and discovered the laptops contained 105 category A images, one category A moving image, 61 category B images, and 85 category C images – with category A being the most serious.

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Judge Jeremy Richardson QC told Grant: “It’s astonishing that a young man with a promising life – who is intelligent – should be standing in the dock of a crown court in this country facing sentence for a crime of this kind.

Sheffield Crown Court heard how a pervert was caught with indecent images of children on two laptop computers after a police raid at a property in Sheffield.Sheffield Crown Court heard how a pervert was caught with indecent images of children on two laptop computers after a police raid at a property in Sheffield.
Sheffield Crown Court heard how a pervert was caught with indecent images of children on two laptop computers after a police raid at a property in Sheffield.

"It’s plain to me from what I have read and all that I know about the case that you for one reason or another found yourself – indeed placed yourself – in what may only be described as a vortex of emotional self-destruction. Down you went and as you went down you committed these crimes.”

Grant, now of Sighthill Terrace, Edinburgh, who has a conviction for stalking, pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images concerning the category A, B and C images after the police raid on July 6, 2020.

Judge Richardson told Grant: “Those are not victimless crimes. The young people depicted in these images and in the moving image were real children. Doubtless compelled by wicked individuals to do as they did.”

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The judge said his intention is to sentence Grant to six months of custody suspended for two years with a Rehabilitation Activity Requirement and a sex offender treatment programme.

However, Judge Richardson adjourned sentencing until April 26 and released Grant on bail to allow time to confirm that the rehabilitative elements of such a suspended prison sentence can be implemented in Scotland.

He told Grant: “You are a young man and your life is ahead of you and I hope this can be put behind you in due course. Unless we rehabilitate you there are serious risks to the public.”