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PORN FOUND: All Things Books

A BOOKSHOP owner has admitted making and distributing child pornography at his shop in a North-East market town.

Phillip John George Webb had indecent images of children under ten years old on computer software at All Things Books, in Barnard Castle.

When police arrived at the shop with a search warrant, Webb handed them a pack of 15 discs and said: "This is what you are looking for."

On the top of the pile was a disc labelled "Jenny, aged nine".

Appearing before magistrates in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, on Saturday, the 54- year-old admitted 17 charges dating back to April 2006.

He pleaded guilty to the possession of 36,265 indecent images of children, which included still photographs, pseudo images and films.

He also admitted distributing hundreds of images of children.

They ranged from level one to level five - the worst category.

Jonathan Bambro, prosecuting, said: "These are extremely serious matters to which this man has pleaded guilty."

More than 11,000 of the images seized by police were level four category showing sexual activity involving children or children with adults.

Mr Bambro said 984 images were level five, which involves sadism or penetration by an animal.

A further 103 films of level four and five material were also discovered.

Police in Barnard Castle became aware of Webb's activity when an investigation by police in another area of the country showed he was in contact with a person responsible for distributing indecent images of children involving oral sex and rape.

Warrants were secured for Webb's former home in Richmond, North Yorkshire, and the bookshop, in The Bank, Barnard Castle, on December 20.

"Indecent images were found on computer equipment from the bookshop and where he was then living.

"In some of the moving images, in the view of the officer who had to sit through them and look at them, the majority of children are under the age of ten," said Mr Bambro.

Traders in the town said All Things Books, which sold new and old titles and offered a repair, restoration and valuation service, had been closed for about two weeks.

The shop's website describes the business as a "friendly little book shop" in the "delightful market town of Barnard Castle".

Joyce Abrahams, who with her husband Maurice has run Curlews bookshop in the town for 22 years, said the news had shocked the town.

She said: "He used to be a customer of ours and when he said he was moving to the town about fours years ago we just wished him luck. We didn't know him well, but if we couldn't help a customer we would send them his way, that is the kind of supportive town Barnard Castle is.

"It is real shock and desperately sad and distressing."

A shopper said: "There was a lot of police activity at the shop recently, but no one could imagine why. It is a real shock.

"It sounds naive, but we just don't expect it in a close, quiet community like ours."

An acquaintance of Mr Webb's, who did not wish to be named, said: "He seemed so plausible and in the few years All Things Books has been here it became quite respected. Aside from the horrific offences, this could have a devastating impact on the town's reputation."

Webb pleaded guilty to the charges and the case was adjourned to Durham Crown Court for sentencing.

The court heard that Webb faces at least three years in prison.

Sentencing guidelines for such offences range from two to five years, with a starting point of three years custody when any of the images are described as level four or five.

Webb was remanded into custody until the crown court date is fixed.

8:19am Monday 14th April 2008

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