North East News: Cramlington computer expert concealed child porn addiction

Jan 22 2012
by Michael Brown, Sunday Sun

AN IT expert at a North council used his computer knowledge to conceal a child and bestiality porn addiction in one of the most sophisticated ways police have ever seen.

Gary Storey created a “virtual computer” – a hidden section – on his laptop so family and friends would not discover the almost 3,300 obscene images and two movies he had downloaded, or his internet conversations with other perverts.

Despite being warned he “richly deserved to be jailed”, depraved Storey has escaped prison and been handed a three-year community order.

Judge Brian Forster heard that Northumbria Police had never encountered such a system of concealment, which would have been invisible to anyone else using the computer, including Storey’s long-term partner.

Glenda Turnbull, prosecuting, told the court that when police seized a laptop and two hard drives from the then Newcastle City Council worker in December 2010, they uncovered 1,429 indecent images of children. Officers also found 1,852 instant messaging records for the username ‘NotQuiteRight99’ through which eight indecent images had been sent to other users.

The 30-year-old, from Cramlington, Northumberland, pleaded guilty to 16 charges of downloading, possessing and distributing child and extreme pornography at an earlier hearing.

And in mitigation, barrister Paul Currer said Storey was disgusted with himself for what he had done and wanted help to overcome his addiction.

“Storey says he feels almost a sense of relief at being arrested,” said Mr Currer.


“He was disgusted looking at these images but still repeatedly went back to them. For a short period they would offer him respite but then knowing what he’d done would make him feel even more guilty.”

Mr Currer said Storey had been bullied at school and put his later degenerate predilections down to the “de-sensitising” effects of pornography he found as a child in the loft of his parents’ house,

But, the court was told, Storey blamed nobody but himself for his crimes.

Judge Forster told Storey he was particularly concerned by his possession of 130 category four images – showing serious sexual assaults on children – and 19 category five images – depicting sadistic behaviour towards children or bestiality.

He also highlighted Storey’s possession of two short video clips and his distribution of eight images, where he then “engaged in sexual practices at the same time as the person to whom he had sent the image”.

“I have to make it clear to the public that the court takes a serious view of these actions,” he said.

“And you richly deserve to go to prison.”

While warning him if his behaviour continued he would be jailed, Judge Forster said Storey needed help to overcome his addiction and sentenced him to a three-year community order, with supervision.

He also ordered him to attend the Northumbria sex offenders’ group, register as a sex offender for five years and pay £1,000 costs.

A spokesman for Newcastle City Council said they were aware of the prosecution but there was no evidence he had accessed indecent material while at work and he no longer was employed by the authority.

“We can confirm that Gary Storey worked for Newcastle City Council,” he said.

“The offences did not take place at work.

“He was immediately suspended on December 23 2010 and resigned and left the authority on January 29 2011.”

Article source: http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/news/north-east-news/2012/01/22/cramlington-computer-expert-concealed-child-porn-addiction-79310-30172951/

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