ANTHONY CONTENTO IN BIRKDALE SENTENCED FOR CHILD ABUSE OFFENSES IN LIVERPOOL
A man from Birkdale, Anthony Contento, known as 'Papa Bear' on the app he used to share child abuse images, was found with children's underwear in his home.Contento, aged 54, admitted to distributing extremely graphic child abuse images, including those of children as young as FOUR, via the Randochat app earlier this year.
Liverpool Crown Court was told that despite avoiding jail in 2019 for similar offenses and being offered support programs to change his behaviour, he reoffended.
Police raided his home on Welbeck Road in September and discovered children's underwear along with more than 130 disturbing pictures and videos on his phone.
Investigators also found that Contento had been using the RandoChat app to distribute images depicting child rape.
During the investigation, it was revealed that he used the pseudonym 'Papa Bear' and communicated with another account, sharing a range of abuse images, including the most serious Category A images.
Prosecutor Mark Stephenson explained that Contento initially denied to police that anything incriminating would be found at his residence when officers forcibly entered his home.
He stated, "He said he did not think anything would be found and said that he had learned his lesson previously." While some children's underwear items were recovered, the case largely rested on the contents of his phone, which included indecent pictures and videos ranging from Category C to the severe Category A, involving very young children aged four to six.
Despite the incriminating evidence, Contento continued to deny having a sexual interest in children.
In his pre-sentencing report, he claimed, "I have no sexual interest in children," a statement Judge Stuart Driver, QC, questioned, remarking, "The defendant says in the pre-sentencing report that he has no sexual interest in children.
I do not know if he actually believes that but no one else does." Kate Morley, defending Contento, described it as 'extremely disappointing and alarming' that he did not follow a reoffending deterrence program after his 2019 conviction, which resulted in a suspended sentence.
She commented, "He was given an opportunity on the last occasion.
Had he completed the Horizon programme perhaps he would not be here today." She acknowledged that Contento’s early guilty plea was a mitigating factor but admitted that a jail sentence was likely.
Contento faced charges for ten counts, including possession of 135 images of child abuse.
Judge Driver noted that Contento was in denial about his sexual interest and had reoffended shortly after his previous sexual harm prevention order expired.
He stated, "Within a few months of the order coming to an end you committed these offences.
It shows you to be a determined and persistent offender who enjoys making, watching and distributing images of young children being raped." The court sentenced Contento to three years in prison for distributing the most serious Category A images.
An additional two-year sentence was imposed for making, possessing, and distributing images across Categories A, B, and C, while 18 months were given for possession of extreme pornography and breaching a sexual harm prevention order.
These sentences will run concurrently, making him eligible for release after 18 months.
Furthermore, he was subject to another sexual harm prevention order that can only be lifted by a judge’s decision, and he was ordered to pay a statutory surcharge.
