Billingham pervert jailed for downloading child abuse videos

Michael Best tried to blame someone else for using his mobile phone to access the sickening videos but he was convicted after a trial.

The perverted 32-year-old still refuses to accept his guilt and continues to deny responsibility for his behaviour, Teesside Crown Court heard.

Jenny Haigh, prosecuting, said the defendant was caught with 21 category A moving and still images, 10 category B moving and still images and eight category C still images.

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Ms Haigh said the videos showed children as young as three in ‘pain and distress’ and told the court the defendant had attempted to conceal them.

Best, of Marsh House Avenue, Billingham, was convicted following a trial in March, in front of Judge Howard Crowson, of three charges of making indecent images of children.

He downloaded the videos and images between May 20, 2020, and February 8, 2022.

Brian Russell, mitigating, said: "He maintains his denial of any wrongdoing. He comes across as extremely depressed and feels like he has nothing left in his life.”

Mr Russell also told the court his relationship has ended due to the offending and he was in a depressed state of mind.

Judge Crowson told the defendant that he was not surprised that he continued to deny responsibility in his pre-sentence report with the Probation Service.

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He said: "Your refusal to acknowledge your guilt in the pre-sentence report is not surprising – in fact it is quite common.

“It leads me to conclude you are not yet capable of accepting the help which might lead to your future rehabilitation."

Best, who has no previous convictions, was sentenced to 15 months in prison.

He was also made subject of a sexual harm prevention order for ten years and was ordered to sign on the sex offenders’ register for the same period of time.