October 2021 Pevert caught with indecent images of kids… again A paedophile has been caught with child sex abuse images for a second time  Benjamin Heron was previously convicted of eight counts of downloading and possessing indecent and prohibited images. His vile collection of more than 1,000 disturbing files included 108 Category A indecent images of children being raped. Heron was handed an 18-month community order and a five-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) in December 2018. The 28-year-old, of Grange Place, Birkenhead, breached the order by deleting his internet history and downloading more sick pictures. A judge today told Heron his conditions were “no excuse”, but the pervert walked free from court after being given “a last chance”. Liverpool Crown Court heard Merseyside Police Sex Offender Unit made a routine visit to Heron’s home on October 21 last year. Christopher Hopkins, prosecuting, said officers inspected his mobile phone and found he had wiped his browsing history. Mr Hopkins said: “The reason he gave to officers was he did not want them to see his sexual interests and what he had been searching for or looking at. “He said there was nothing that would incriminate him on the phone.” Police experts discovered Category C indecent images of girls, aged approximately between 11 to 14, on the device. Mr Hopkins said when Heron was interviewed he confessed and “accepted he had them for the purpose of sexual gratification”. Heron admitted possessing the indecent images and breaching his order. Judge David Swinnerton told Heron: “You quite deliberately deleted that search history. You said you were embarrassed about some of the sexual content you were looking at and some of it was not illegal.” The judge said Category C was the lowest of the categories, “but that’s not to say it’s not serious, because what those four pictures were of, was naked or semi-clothed 11 to 14-year-old girls, in provocative poses”. He added: “They are unlawful images, sexual images, of children.” Judge Swinnerton said: “This is not a victimless offence just because you were only looking at pictures, because behind every picture is a child being abused by whoever took the picture. That abuse is encouraged by people like you being a market for these pictures.” Judge Swinnerton said he had “considered carefully” Heron’s history and what was said about him in the pre-sentence report. He said: “You are capable of rehabilitation, you did comply with the last order while you were subject to it. I’m told you sought further help afterwards but that help was not forthcoming.” He gave Heron 16 months in prison, suspended for the maximum two years, with a sex offenders treatment programme and 60-day Rehabilitation Activity Requirement. Judge Swinnerton told him to sign on the Sex Offenders Register and to comply with a new SHPO for 10 years.