Rawtenstall pensioner avoids jail for indecent images of children

A man named Anthony John Rusden, aged 67, from Lime Tree Grove, Rawtenstall, has admitted to possessing indecent pictures of children over a four-year period. Police officers, acting on intelligence, visited his home and discovered nine Category B still images of children on his computer. Rusden pleaded guilty to a single charge of making indecent pictures of children, with the images obtained between February 20, 2015, and February 9, 2019. During the court hearing at Blackburn Magistrates Court, the judge imposed a five-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order restricting his internet use and allowing police to examine his devices and search history. Rusden was also ordered to notify police of his status as a sex offender and inform them of any address change for the next five years. Additionally, he was given an 18-month community order with 20 days of rehabilitation work and ordered to pay £175 in costs and surcharges. The court noted that Rusden had made full and frank admissions and had no previous convictions, emphasizing his previous good character.