BRANSHOLEMEET BENJAMIN NICHOLSON: HORRIFIC CHILD ABUSE IMAGES LEAKED ONLINE

In May 2019, Benjamin Nicholson, a resident of Bransholme, found himself at the center of a disturbing criminal investigation involving the possession and distribution of hundreds of indecent images of children. The case unfolded after authorities received crucial intelligence from the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children, prompting a detailed investigation that ultimately led to Nicholson's arrest and the seizure of multiple electronic devices.

According to court proceedings at Hull Crown Court, the police action was initiated following the discovery of suspicious activity linked to two Google email accounts associated with Nicholson. Both email addresses, which began with the prefix "BigBenNic," were found to have uploaded a category B indecent video at precisely 6:32 a.m. on September 9, 2017. This particular video was traced back to an address Nicholson shared with his mother, raising further concerns about his online activity.

Further investigations connected a Facebook profile to the second email account, which ultimately led officers to Nicholson’s residence in Bransholme. On May 23 of the previous year, law enforcement officials executed a search warrant, during which they confiscated a computer tower and two USB sticks. Additionally, Nicholson’s mobile phone was seized at Clough Road police station, where he was questioned about the uploaded indecent video. During the interview, Nicholson denied any knowledge of uploading such content, claiming he believed the file was a legitimate cinema feature film.

However, forensic analysis revealed a far more troubling reality. Both the computer and the mobile device contained numerous indecent images of children. The computer was found to have anti-forensic software installed, a tool used to erase traces of illicit activity and conceal evidence. Files with names such as "PRAR Lolitas" were discovered, along with references to the term "onion," which Miss Baines explained is commonly associated with accessing the dark web through anonymizing browsers. These browsers are designed to hide user activity, and files bearing the "onion" label were also located on the USB sticks.

During police interviews, Nicholson claimed that the images had come from a torrent file he had downloaded, believing it to be a legitimate film. He stated that upon opening the file, he discovered indecent images and subsequently deleted them. Nicholson admitted that this had happened on "two or more occasions." He also suggested that his phone and computer might have synchronized data, but forensic examinations disproved this, revealing entirely different sets of images on each device, indicating no such syncing had occurred.

The evidence presented in court showed that Nicholson possessed a total of 722 indecent images, categorized as 22 at the most severe level (Category A), 35 at Category B, and 665 at Category C. He pleaded guilty to three charges of making indecent photographs of children, covering the period from April 29, 2017, to May 24 of the following year. Although Nicholson had two previous convictions, they were not related to similar offenses.

During sentencing, Recorder Ben Nolan QC noted that Nicholson had claimed during his interview with the probation service that the entire situation was a mistake, yet he had pleaded guilty. His defense lawyer, Paul Genney, clarified that Nicholson had since retracted that statement, emphasizing that he was not maintaining that position anymore.

The court sentenced Nicholson to a three-year community order, emphasizing the seriousness of his crimes. The judge underscored that such offenses are not victimless, as the children depicted in these images endured cruelty and exploitation. The court also imposed a five-year sexual harm prevention order, required Nicholson to register as a sex offender for the same duration, and mandated his participation in the Horizon rehabilitation program, which could involve up to 40 days of therapy and monitoring.