January 2016 Paedophile spared jail for making indecent images and videos of children A PAEDOPHILE caught downloading and making indecent images and videos of children has escaped a jail sentence. Darren Haddow, 50, of Crest Close, in Stretton, was given a three-year community order and placed on the sex offenders’ register. He appeared at Burton Magistrates’ Court where he pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent videos and photographs of children. Two of the images and one of the videos were of the most serious category A, while the other pictures and video were categories B and C, which are considered less serious by the courts. Haddow was caught as part of Staffordshire Police’s Operation Safenet to crack down on perverts and safeguard children. Police and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) have welcomed the sentence. Prosecutor Natalie Merchant told the court that when police raided his home, officers discovered 12 indecent images of children and two movies, which had been downloaded from the internet. The defendant confirmed that the devices were his and he had downloaded the images. He pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent photographs of a child. Ms Merchant said: “Due to the overwhelming evidence against the defendant, he pleaded guilty at the first hearing. The CPS and our partners in the criminal justice system are working together to identify and bring to justice those who commit such crimes. Detective sergeant Steve Chadwick, from Operation Safenet, said: “The sentencing of Darren Haddow is to be welcomed and shows we will take swift, robust action against anyone suspected of child sexual abuse. “We have a number of people now charged and going through the court system as part of Operation Safenet and this work will continue.” Haddow was sentenced at Burton Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, January 7. As well as the three-year community order, Haddow was also ordered to attend an accredited sex offender treatment programme for 18 months, fined £150, and told to pay court costs of £185 and a victim’s surcharge of £60.
