DANIEL FISHER FROM MIDDLESBROUGH CAUGHT WITH HORRIFIC CHILD ABUSE IMAGES AND SNUFF FILM

In May 2015, authorities uncovered a disturbing case involving Daniel Fisher, a resident of Middlesbrough, who was found to possess an extensive collection of child abuse images and videos, including some of the most heinous material imaginable. The investigation revealed that Fisher had a library comprising over 16,000 depraved images and videos depicting the abuse of children, some of which he shared with others via the internet.

One of the most shocking discoveries was a video depicting the rape and murder of a mother and her infant child. This particular snuff film left a police examiner with 20 years of experience in analyzing such material utterly horrified, describing it as the worst image he had ever encountered. The video was part of Fisher’s collection but was not shared online, unlike some of the other content he possessed.

The details of the images and videos, many too graphic and disturbing to be publicly reported, were read out during proceedings at Teesside Crown Court. Prosecutor Harry Hadfield outlined how Fisher deliberately and systematically searched for distressing images of abuse involving vulnerable victims. He provided examples of the content, including a particularly gruesome clip that featured violence, sadism, and torture inflicted upon a two-year-old child.

Fisher’s computer equipment, including his tower and hard drives, was seized from his home on November 21, 2013. Authorities found a total of 16,410 indecent photographs of children, with 1,280 classified at the most severe levels of depravity. Additionally, Fisher possessed 57 extreme pornographic images and nine prohibited images depicting “imaginary children.”

He also made some of these images accessible to others by using a file-sharing program, allowing other users to download and view the content. Specifically, Fisher maintained a folder containing 3,711 child abuse images and accepted 10,761 requests to share these files between September and November 2013. The video of the murder was not shared publicly, but it was part of his personal collection.

Further incriminating evidence included a Facebook folder labeled “get your files here,” which contained 12 indecent pictures of children. When questioned by police, Fisher admitted to accessing child abuse images over an 18-month period. He claimed he did not seek out images of very young children, asserting that he primarily viewed images of teenagers. He confessed to downloading, watching, and then deleting the material, expressing remorse and stating, “all his own fault, he should have known better.”

Regarding the snuff film, Fisher denied any interest in such content and claimed he had not seen it, although he acknowledged that he must have downloaded it. He explained that he had set his computer to automatically download material, which led him to come across “weird stuff.”

Fisher, formerly residing on Westerdale Road in Middlesbrough’s Berwick Hills area, pleaded guilty to multiple charges. These included four counts of distributing and four of making indecent photographs of children, as well as possessing an extreme pornographic image and prohibited images of children. These were his first offenses.

His defense lawyer, Rupert Doswell, argued that Fisher’s computer downloaded images “rather indiscriminately” and that he did not specifically seek out the worst content. He emphasized that the majority of the images fell into the least serious categories. Fisher himself admitted to having a problematic “obsession” and an attraction to children, expressing relief at the discovery of his collection and his subsequent arrest. Mr. Doswell added that Fisher was not beyond hope of rehabilitation and that his wife and daughter attended court to support him and help him recover.

Judge Tony Briggs addressed Fisher directly, stating, “It appears that for a significant period of time you’ve been downloading pornographic images of the greatest gravity. You’re not involved in producing these images, but that does not lessen the vile and disgusting nature of the material. The images are disturbing and likely caused severe distress, pain, and damage to the children involved in their creation.”

He concluded that custody was inevitable and that Fisher’s sentence should be severe. The judge acknowledged that Fisher recognized the gravity of his actions, offering some hope for future rehabilitation. Fisher was sentenced to three years in prison, placed under a sexual harm prevention order, and will be on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely.