February 2015 Abbey Hulton mand had thousands of images of child sex abuse Andrew Johnson downloaded thousands of indecent images of children. The 53-year-old was arrested after police raided his estranged wife’s home where he was continuing to live. Officers found the images on several devices and they included adults having sex with children. The young victims were aged five to 14 and one was aged just one or two. Now Johnson has been handed a three-year community order as judge believes he is capable of being rehabilitated. Prosecutor Neil Ahuja told Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court police searched Johnson’s address on March 20 and seized a memory stick and two computer towers. The equipment was analysed and found to contain: 1,464 category A images – the most serious; 942 category B images; 5,300 category C images; 21 category A movie images; 15 category B movie images; 15 category C movie images; 51 extreme pornographic images. Johnson, of Eaveswood Road, Abbey Hulton, pleaded guilty to six charges of making indecent photographs of a child and possessing extreme pornographic images between June 1, 2011 and March 20, 2014. Robert Holt, mitigating, said Johnson had no previous convictions. Mr Holt added: “He is now accepting what he has done and the deep shame he has brought on himself and his wider family.” Judge Paul Glenn said the offences merited an eight-month jail sentence but the defendant would serve less than half that term. Instead the judge said the public would be better served by rehabilitating the defendant and sentenced him to a three-year community order with three years’ supervision and a requirement to complete the internet sex offender treatment programme. He must also pay £240 costs and a £60 surcharge. And he will be on the sex offenders’ register for five years and was barred from a range of activities involving children and vulnerable adults. Judge Glenn said: “These are real children being abused for the entertainment of people like you who resort to these websites and access this material. “Some of the children were very young indeed and in pain and distress. “I accept you plainly abused alcohol when your marriage was breaking down. “You have sought professional help. I accept you are ashamed about what you have done. “There is nothing to suggest it went further than this, no evidence of distribution and no evidence of any previous behaviour of this type. “I think you are someone who is capable of being rehabilitated.”