Man avoid jail after 800 indecent images of children found on his computer

A man was caught with over 800 indecent images of children after police seized computer equipment from his North Hykeham home.

Officers seized eight electonic devices belonging to Gildo D’Alessandro, 59, after carrying out the search in Grandfield Way on 9 March 2021.

Lincoln Crown Court heard all of the electronic devices were analysed by police experts and found to contain indecent images of children.

David Eager, prosecuting, said 42 images were in the most serious category of A, including two videos.

A further 28 category B images were discovered, including two more videos, and 781 category C images, which included 49 videos.

Mr Eager said some of the images included children aged between five and ten years of age.

“They are not on the border of legality,” Mr Eager added.

D’Alessandro, who is now of Waterloo Court, Lower Pilsley, Derbys, made no comment during his police interviews in March 2021 and May 2022.

He later pleaded guilty to three offences of making indecent images of children in categories A, B and C between December 2019 and March 2021.

The court heard D’Alessandro had previous convictions for indecent exposure and indecent assault when he was a youth.

Hal Ewing, mitigating, said his previous convictions were along time ago and asked for any jail sentence to be suspended.

“There is work that can be done with him,” Mr Ewing added.

“The number of images at category A are not at the levels sometimes seen by this court.”

Mr Ewing told the court D’Alessandro admitted the devices and emails were his, and had been out of trouble since he was a youth.

“He does deny sexual interest in children. As the author of the probation report notes that is not uncommon in these cases.”

Passing sentence Judge Catarina Sjolin Knight told D’Alessandro: “These are indecent images of children.”

But Judge Sjolin Knight said rehabilitation could be a realistic alternative to a short prison sentence.

D’Alessandro was sentenced to a three year Community Order and must also complete 40 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days and a Sex Offender Treatment Course.

He was also made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Judge Sjolin Knight warned D’Alessandro that if he failed to engage properly with the order he would come back to Crown Court and go to jail.

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