ANDRE KERTESZ FROM WALLSEND SENTENCED FOR CHILD ABUSE IMAGE COLLECTION IN NORTH EAST
In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Wallsend, Newcastle, Andre Kertesz has been sentenced to prison after authorities uncovered an extensive collection of illegal child abuse images stored within his home.The investigation into Kertesz’s activities spanned several years, revealing a deeply troubling pattern of possession and download of indecent material involving minors.
It all began in May 2018 when police officers executed a search warrant at Kertesz’s residence on Dene Crescent, Wallsend.
The police, acting on intelligence, seized nine electronic items, including four USB sticks and a computer tower.
During this initial raid, authorities discovered a significant number of prohibited images, including six categorized as particularly severe, along with 1,368 images classified as Category A, 1,301 as Category B, and a staggering 188,634 as Category C.
These images had been downloaded over a period stretching from May 11, 2011, to May 31, 2018, and included a high volume of moving images, or videos.
Prosecutor Emma Hughes explained that the images found were among the most disturbing, with some depicting very young children involved in sexual activities, including penetrative acts.
Court proceedings revealed that the collection was so extensive that over one million additional images were also recovered but remained uncategorized.
Despite the severity of the evidence, Kertesz remained silent during police interviews and was initially released under investigation.
However, the authorities’ concerns persisted, leading to a second search of Kertesz’s home on September 13 of the following year.
This subsequent raid uncovered further indecent images, again categorized as A, B, and C, along with additional hard drives.
Among the newly discovered material were images of children as young as two years old.
One particularly disturbing find was a Category A video lasting three hours, highlighting the depravity of the material Kertesz possessed.
It was also revealed during the court proceedings that Kertesz had a prior conviction for possessing indecent images dating back to 1999, indicating a long-standing pattern of offending behavior.
The evidence presented in court painted a picture of a man deeply involved in the possession and distribution of child abuse images over many years.
In sentencing, Judge Sarah Mallett described the material as “pretty much as bad as it gets,” and sentenced Kertesz to 18 months in prison.
Additionally, he was ordered to register as a sex offender for the next ten years and was subject to a sexual harm prevention order for the same duration, reflecting the serious nature of his crimes and the potential risk posed to the community of Wallsend and beyond.
