January 25, 2017 11.54 am This story is over 86 months old

Great grandad caught with child porn and bestiality images on his computer avoids jail

A great grandfather who admitted looking at child porn images showing youngsters aged just eight years old has been handed a suspended sentence. Dozens of illegal videos and photographs were found on pensioner John Hepburn’s computer equipment when police raided his home in June 2015. Nicola Moore, prosecuting, said that when officers spoke to Hepburn…
Lincoln Crown Court inside Lincoln Castle. Photo: File/Lincolnshire Reporter

A great grandfather who admitted looking at child porn images showing youngsters aged just eight years old has been handed a suspended sentence.

Dozens of illegal videos and photographs were found on pensioner John Hepburn’s computer equipment when police raided his home in June 2015.

Nicola Moore, prosecuting, said that when officers spoke to Hepburn his response was to say: “I’ve seen them but I’ve not downloaded them. I’ve seen the children but I prefer the dog stuff.”

Illegal child pornographic images were found on both a laptop and a desktop computer.

Extreme pornographic images showing bestiality had been burned onto DVDs.

Miss Moore said: “The defendant had used a file sharing site to search for images. He also used a camera to film images being played on his computer.

Hepburn, 66, of Sea View Road, Skegness, admitted three charges of making an indecent image of a child on dates between September 2009 and June 2013.

The charges relate to 77 images found which included 40 in the most serious category.

They involved children aged eight to 13.

He also admitted possession of 11 extreme pornographic images.

James Earle, in mitigation, said that Hepburn had no previous convictions of any type and had co-operated with the police.

Mr Earle said: “There can be no doubt about his shame. He comes before the court a broken and remorseful man.”

He said that Hepburn gave up work in 2012 due to major health problems and two years later his wife died.

“He has 13 grandchildren and one great grandchild. The family are shocked by this. They are totally sure it won’t happen again.”

Hepburn was given an eight month jail sentence suspended for two years at Lincoln Crown Court on January 25.

The sentence also includes a two year supervision requirement which will involve sexual offending rehabilitation work.

He was also ordered to pay £250 prosecution costs and placed on the sex offenders’ register for 10 years.

Judge Simon Hirst told him: “If you breach this order in any way then you will come back to court and you will serve your eight months.”