A PERVERT who downloaded child sex abuse images and videos from a New Zealand based ‘cloud storage’ facility has been given a suspended prison sentence.

Adam Proctor was arrested when his online activities caught the attention of officers from the National Crime Agency.

The 42-year-old transferred a number of videos and pictures in August 2019 and his log in details were traced back to the defendant and his home address.

Soheil Khan, prosecuting, said officers searched his home and recovered a number of digital devices which were analysed ‘of interest were two USB memory sticks and a micro-SD card’.

He said the images and videos involved teenage girls carrying out a number of sex acts and exposing their genitalia.

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Proctor, of Ripon Way, Thirsk, pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children in categories A, B, and C, following his arrest in January - a total of 1,711 images and videos.

Michele Turner, in mitigation, said her client had been ‘open and frank’ with the police as well as with family and friends.

Judge Chris Smith sentenced Proctor to six months in prison, suspended for one year.

He said: “All of them (the indecent images and videos) represent the sexual abuse of a child and I am satisfied that you were seeking out, or at the very least being entirely indifferent, to whether you would come across images involving the abuse of children.

“It seems like the sort of offence that doesn’t cause and real harm but by downloading it; by participating in the internet traffic involving these images; you are part and parcel of what keeps this vile industry alive.”

Proctor was made subject to a notification requirement order and issued with a five-year sexual harm prevention order.

He was also ordered to attend 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 120 hours of unpaid work.

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