NORWICH MAN TRANSITIONING TO LIVE AS WOMAN SENT 'SICK' IMAGES, COURT HEARS
A man transitioning to live as a woman shared "depraved" and "sickening" indecent images of children using an app where messages can self-destruct, a court has heard.Alfie Howe, 25, who has undergone transitioning surgery, had been a student in Lincolnshire when police first became aware of an indecent image being uploaded from a device belonging to the defendant in 2021.
Norwich Crown Court heard police attended an address in Norwich where Howe had been living and seized a mobile phone, on which were found a number of indecent images and messages.
Police found more than 500 images — at least 228 of which were Category A, the most serious.
Also discovered were "lurid" and "graphic" conversations with others about "abusing children", including babies, who appeared in the images.
The court heard the Telegram app, which users can set messages to self-destruct, was used by Howe in some of the messages sent.
Alfie Howe, formerly of Bull Close Road, Norwich, appeared in court on Tuesday after admitting four counts of distributing indecent photos of a child, three counts of making indecent photos of a child, and one offence of possessing a prohibited image of a child.
Judge Andrew Shaw said he had the "greatest of concerns" about Howe — who broke down during and after the hearing — and insisted the images were "depraved" and "sickening".
Imposing a two-year prison sentence, suspended for two years, Judge Shaw recognized that the defendant had not offended in the years that have passed since committing these offences.
He ordered a 12-month mental health treatment requirement, an accredited programme of up to 40 sessions, and 150 hours of unpaid work.
Mitigating, Mr.
Oliver said Howe, who is "continuing transitioning", had been going through a "difficult time" at the time of the offending and was "awaiting surgery".
He explained Howe suffers from ADHD and autism, feeling "socially isolated" and being in a "very dark and bad place." The offending was attributed to isolation and obsessive-compulsive behaviour.
However, Howe showed remorse for the offences which date back to 2021 with no further offending.
He was also made subject to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and was registered as a sex offender indefinitely.
