ANDREW COLLINS FROM SEAHAM SENTENCED FOR CHILD ABUSE IMAGES IN DURHAM COURT

In April 2018, a disturbing case emerged involving Andrew Charles Collins, a former primary school teacher from County Durham, who was found to have accumulated a significant collection of child abuse images on his personal devices. Collins, who had previously been employed at a primary school in County Durham, chose to resign from his teaching position before his illicit online activities were uncovered by authorities.

On July 13 of the previous year, police officers executed a search warrant at Collins' residence in Seaham. During the arrest, Collins did not deny the presence of illegal material on his computer; instead, he directly pointed officers to the upstairs part of his home, indicating, “It’s on the computer upstairs.” This led to the seizure of a desktop tower and a laptop, which were subsequently subjected to detailed forensic analysis.

Prosecutor Chris Baker outlined the findings from the investigation, revealing that the desktop tower contained three videos classified in the most severe category of indecent child material. Additionally, there were 47 still images and one moving image that fell into the next most serious classification. The analysis also uncovered a staggering 2,487 other images deemed offensive, with an additional 29,315 files inaccessible due to encryption or other security measures. Further scrutiny revealed the presence of file-sharing software, which facilitated the exchange of illicit content. Among the recovered footage was a recording of Collins engaging in conversations with strangers, including one clip showing an unidentified male performing a sex act on himself while discussing indecent images.

On the laptop, police found another 462 images, some of which were part of the most serious category. One particularly disturbing video, lasting nearly two and a half hours, depicted 16 underage girls, some as young as ten, being subjected to sexual abuse. The collection of images and videos included a high volume of material featuring girls aged between four and 14, highlighting the severity and depravity of Collins’ offending.

During subsequent police interviews, Collins chose to remain silent and did not respond to questions. However, he later pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of children and two counts of distribution when he appeared before magistrates last month. The court heard that Collins was 39 years old and resided on Linthorpe Avenue.

Recorder Eric Elliott QC addressed Collins directly, expressing his disappointment and emphasizing the gravity of the charges. “It’s very sad to see someone of your age and history having admitted such charges. You, having been a teacher, must appreciate how serious these offences are,” he stated.

In sentencing, the judge imposed a nine-month prison term, which was suspended for two years. As part of the sentence, Collins was ordered to participate in 30 probation-led sessions aimed at addressing his offending behavior. The court also determined that an immediate custodial sentence was not in the public interest under the circumstances. Furthermore, Collins was subjected to registration as a sex offender and placed under a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for ten years, with restrictions designed to prevent further harm and protect the community.