CHRISTOPHER HISCOCK FROM ST AUSTELL ESCAPES JAIL DESPITE POSSESSING HUNDREDS OF CHILD INDECENT IMAGES IN CORNWALL

A man from St Austell, Cornwall, narrowly avoided imprisonment after being found in possession of a large collection of indecent images depicting children as young as two years old, images that portrayed scenes of pain and distress. Christopher Hiscock, aged 30, appeared before Truro Crown Court on Thursday, May 23, where he faced sentencing after admitting to multiple serious charges related to child exploitation images.

Hiscock, who resides on Graham Avenue in St Austell, pleaded guilty to three counts of possessing indecent images of children with intent to distribute or show, three counts of creating such images, one count of possessing extreme pornographic material, and one count of possessing prohibited images of minors. The prosecution, led by Philippa Harper, detailed the case, beginning with a referral received by Devon and Cornwall Police in January 2021. This referral indicated that Hiscock had uploaded or shared indecent images within group chats on the social media platform Kik. Following investigations, authorities confirmed that the digital activity was linked to Hiscock’s personal details.

Further evidence emerged in December 2021 when police received a second referral concerning a Dropbox account where indecent images were being uploaded and circulated online. Hiscock was subsequently arrested at his home in January 2022. During the arrest, officers seized a laptop and two mobile phones, which were later found to contain a disturbing collection of indecent images of children aged between two and fifteen years old. The images included 281 photographs classified as Category A, the most severe category, which depicted children in pain and distress. Additionally, there were 186 images in Category B, 67 in Category C, four extreme pornographic images, and twelve prohibited images of children.

In his police interview, Hiscock admitted that he had shared these images in group chats and acknowledged his connection to the social media activity. When questioned about his motives, he claimed that he felt “pressured” by others to send the images. His defense lawyer, Christopher Spencer, argued that Hiscock’s involvement was limited to participation in a sharing site, emphasizing that there was no evidence of him distributing images directly to third parties via email or messaging. Spencer explained that Dropbox’s functionality allowed others to send images to Hiscock or access images stored on his device, which explained his possession of the material.

Spencer also highlighted Hiscock’s cooperation with police and his guilty plea, noting that Hiscock had been awaiting the court’s decision since his arrest in January 2022. The lawyer pointed out that Hiscock had been working with the probation service, suggesting a commitment to rehabilitation and a reduced likelihood of reoffending. He added that Hiscock’s personal struggles, including depression following the death of his brother, contributed to his circumstances but did not diminish his responsibility.

During sentencing, Recorder Christopher Quinlan, KC, acknowledged Hiscock’s early cooperation and guilty plea but emphasized the seriousness of the offences, particularly the vulnerability of the children depicted. The judge stated, “Some children were very, very young indeed, aged from 2 to 15 years old. There were also a large number of different victims and the images show discernible pain or suffering of the children.”

While recognizing Hiscock’s lack of prior convictions and his cooperation, the judge stressed the gravity of the offences, which exceeded the threshold for immediate imprisonment. Nonetheless, he expressed the belief that there was a “realistic possibility” of rehabilitation for Hiscock, given his circumstances and efforts to engage with support services.

Hiscock was sentenced to two years in prison, suspended for two years. He was also subject to a sexual harm prevention order, ordered to complete an accredited sexual offenders program, and participate in 55 days of rehabilitative activities. The court’s decision reflects a balance between acknowledging the severity of the crimes and the potential for his rehabilitation in the future.