DAVID BESAG: NEWCASTLE COUNCILLOR CAUGHT WITH OVER 1,000 CHILD SEX ABUSE IMAGES
In a disturbing case emerging from Newcastle, David Besag, a man with a history of public service, was found to possess an extensive collection of illegal and highly disturbing images involving children.The revelation has shocked the local community and raised serious questions about the oversight of public officials.
Last week, Besag, aged 50 and residing on Glenthorn Road in Jesmond, was sentenced to six months in prison, though the sentence was suspended for two years.
He pleaded guilty to multiple charges related to child pornography, including the possession and creation of indecent images of minors.
The court heard that his collection included over 1,000 images and dozens of videos depicting children as young as two years old, with the material spanning a range of ages up to 17.
Prior to his arrest, Besag had served as a Liberal Democrat councillor representing the Walkergate ward in Newcastle from 2004 until 2010.
His political career was marked by active involvement, and he even stood as a Liberal Democrat candidate as recently as 2018.
However, the party has since disavowed him, stating that he is no longer a member and emphasizing that if his criminal activities had been known earlier, he would never have been selected as a candidate.
The court proceedings revealed that police seized multiple devices from Besag’s residence, including his laptop, mobile phone, computer tower, and a hard drive.
An analysis of these devices uncovered a staggering collection: 34 images and 23 videos classified as Category A, which is the most severe, along with 17 photos and 10 videos of Category B, and over 1,000 images and 39 videos of Category C.
The material involved children aged between two and 17 years old.
In addition to the child abuse images, authorities found four prohibited images of a child and a significant number of extreme pornographic videos—200 in total—and five extreme images involving animals and adult males.
The evidence indicated that Besag had downloaded this material over an 18-year period, from 2002 to 2020, a timeline that includes his six-year tenure as a city councillor.
Reacting to the case, a spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats in Newcastle expressed their disapproval, stating, “He was a hard-working elected member during his time as a councillor for Walkergate.
It goes without saying that if we had the slightest inkling of the criminal behaviour that has now come to light then he would never have been selected as a candidate or stayed as a party member.
Our thoughts are with the children and families affected.” The party confirmed that Besag is no longer affiliated with them.
During the court hearing, Besag claimed that he had only started downloading such material in 2012 and insisted that he had no sexual interest in children, attributing his actions to an addiction to adult pornography.
He also disclosed that he suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and dyspraxia, conditions that may have influenced his behavior.
In addition to the suspended prison sentence, Besag was ordered to adhere to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for seven years and is required to register as a sex offender for the same duration.
The case has left a lasting impact on the community, highlighting the importance of vigilance and thorough background checks for individuals involved in public service, especially when allegations of this nature come to light.
