May 2018 Stocksfield pervert caught with more than 3,000 indecent images of children walks free A pervert caught with more than 3,000 indecent images of children has walked free from court. Christopher Cooper downloaded pictures of young girls aged between seven and 14 on his computer and mobile phone A court heard as a result of the offending, his wife has left him, and he has lost his career. A judge told the 52-year-old that looking at indecent images is not a victimless crime. Judge Simon Batiste, at Newcastle Crown Court, said: “You are a man who has lived a law-abiding life. You are someone who has thrown that entirely away now. “You have lost your job, you have lost the profession you have worked in. “Your wife has left you as a result of this. “You have voluntarily sought help. “I’ve seen character statements speaking very highly of you.” The judge added: “You must understand this is not a victimless crime. “The effect of this is not simply your watching them but the images are created because people like you are watching them. So children are abused because of that.” Judge Batiste said a prison sentence must be imposed but that it could be suspended on this occasion. He told Cooper: “Given your good character, your remorse and the efforts you are making and the considerable impact this has already had on you and the work that can be done with you, in my view the public can be best served by the imposition of a suspended sentence.” The court heard police were alerted to Cooper’s activities by his use of a website. When they examined his computer and phone they found 455 of the most serious type of images – category A – 335 category B and 2,549 category C Cooper, of Branch End Terrace, Stocksfield, Northumberland, pleaded guilty to four offences of making indecent images of children. He was sentenced to eight months suspended for 12 months with 100 hours unpaid work and rehabilitation. He must also sign the sex offenders register for five years and was made subject to a sexual harm prevention order for the same period.