The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
A Holbeach man who admitted possessing indecent images of children after police seized three devices from his home was today (Wednesday) given a suspended jail sentence.
Officers seized two laptop computers and an iPad after going to the home of Paul Williamson, 46, in Hall Hill Road during 2021.
Lincoln Crown Court heard Williamson was arrested and initially made no comment, but later made frank admissions to what was contained on the devices.
In total 1,883 indecent images of children were found on the three devices and spanned a period of six years, the court was told.
Phil Howes, prosecuting, said 13 per cent of the images (255) were in the most serious category of A.
The remaining images included 284 in category B and 1,344 in category C.
Mr Howes told the court all of the photographs were still images and predominantly girls.
“They were relatively young,”Mr Howes added.
During a later police interview Williamson fully accepted his offending, saying he started looking at pornography and moved onto children.
Williamson told the officers: “I’m disgusting, I’m dirty.”
He admitted three offences of making indecent images of children in categories A, B and C.
Tom Heath, mitigating, told the court Williamson had been honest and candid about his behaviour, and there had been no new offences since his arrest 15 months ago.
Mr Heath said Williamson worked in a factory and asked the judge to give him a suspended sentence as he was suitable for rehabilitation.
He told the court Williamson had suffered with depression and anxiety, and struggled to form relationships.
Passing sentence Judge James House KC House told Williamson drink had played a part in him losing his inhibitions.
But the Judge said Williamson had demonstrated a “great deal of contrition”
and accepted his responsibility.
Judge House said it was of particular note that Williamson had contacted the appropriate organisations to help deal with his offending.
Williamson was sentenced ten months imprisonment suspended for 18 months, and must also complete 30 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days and 100 hours of unpaid work in the community.
He was also made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for ten years.
“Mr Williamson you must understand if you breach that order you will come back to court and go down those stairs for ten months,” Judge House warned Williamson.
“This is your one chance.”
