October 2014 Man admits to child and animal abuse tapes found in his Hartlepool home A SELF-CONFESSED pornography addict downloaded indecent images of children being sexually abused by adults and images of adults having sex with animals. Aaron Dixon became ‘desensitised’ over the years and searched for ever more extreme pornography, Durham Crown Court heard. Dixon, 32, of Bowline House, Harbour Walk, Hartlepool, admitted three charges of making indecent images of children, and one charge of possessing extreme pornographic images. “In August of last year police executed a search warrant at a business address where this defendant worked,” said Shaun Dodds, prosecuting. “Three computer towers and a thumb drive were seized. “These were found to contain 219 indecent images of children, and 34 extreme pornographic images. “Of the child images, 26 were in the most serious category A.” Anne Richardson, defending, said in mitigation: “This case is a salutary lesson for anyone who says legal pornography is harmless. “Mr Dixon started off with that, became desensitised and started to look for ever more extreme images. “He admits to an addiction, but he only began downloading child pornography in April of last year, and stopped when he was arrested in August. “While he could not complain if he was sent to prison, he would lose his job and his father would lose the money he has invested in the business. “Mr Dixon has told his wife and family of his problems, which was an incredibly hard thing for him to do.” Judge Robert Adams sentenced Dixon to a three-year supervision order. The judge told him: “A short period of custody would see you released within a couple of months. “It is more in the public interest, and more in your interest, for you to undergo a lengthy sex offender treatment programme as part of the supervision order.” Dixon was made the subject of an indefinite sexual offences prevention order restricting his internet use. He must register as a sex offender for five years. The seized computer equipment will be confiscated and destroyed.