ANDREW TURNER FROM NORTON SENTENCED FOR CHILD ABUSE IMAGES IN TEESSIDE

In October 2017, a disturbing case emerged involving Andrew Darren Turner, a 33-year-old man from Norton, who was found guilty of possessing and distributing horrific images of child abuse. Turner, a former binman employed by Stockton Borough Council, was caught in a series of police raids that uncovered nearly 2,000 indecent images and videos depicting children, some as young as two years old.

According to court proceedings, the National Crime Agency (NCA) first identified Turner on April 18 of the previous year, when they discovered he had accumulated a collection of 589 indecent photographs on his phones and tablets. These images included a particularly disturbing 45-second video of a two-year-old girl being raped, a revelation that shocked the court and underscored the severity of his crimes.

Further investigation revealed that Turner had been accessing increasingly young victims through online platforms, using false identities to conceal his activities. Court documents detailed that he operated under two fake names, one of which was “teenylover,” through which he engaged in chats and shared images of abused children as young as nine years old with other online offenders. Despite being arrested and cautioned previously for similar offenses, Turner continued his illicit activities even after initial intervention, demonstrating a blatant disregard for the law and the safety of children.

His online behavior drew further scrutiny when, two months after his initial arrest, authorities in North Wales linked him to another investigation into the distribution of child abuse images. During this subsequent inquiry, Turner was found to be using yet another false name. On August 17, while house-sitting at a residence in Stockton, he was arrested once again. During this arrest, officers discovered a staggering 1,404 images, including the infamous 45-second rape video, which depicted a young girl being assaulted.

Turner was already registered as a sex offender following a caution issued in 2015 for making indecent images of children. However, he failed to declare his aliases, breaching the conditions of his registration. His actions led to multiple charges, including six counts of making indecent images, four counts of distributing such images, and one count of breaching sex offender notification requirements.

At Teesside Crown Court, Recorder Eric Elliott QC addressed the gravity of the case, stating, “It hardly needs to be said that these are very serious matters. The effects upon the victims in these photographs are unimaginable.” Turner pleaded guilty to all 11 charges against him. The court sentenced him to three years in prison, imposed an indefinite sexual harm prevention order, and mandated that he be placed on the sex offenders’ register for life.

Earlier in August, Turner was seen leaving Teesside Magistrates’ Court with his face covered, after admitting to sharing these sickening images. Dressed in a thick winter coat, he fled the court premises following his guilty plea, which included charges of making and distributing child abuse images over a 12-month period. The court also noted that he had failed to disclose his aliases for over a year while on the sex offenders’ register, breaching legal requirements.

He is scheduled to return to court for sentencing at Teesside Crown Court at a later date, where a senior judge will determine the final penalty. District Judge Kristina Harrison granted him unconditional bail and ordered a pre-sentence report to be prepared by the probation service, emphasizing the seriousness of his offenses and the need for appropriate punishment.