DAVID FLEMING FROM BELFAST WALKED FREE AFTER CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CHARGES

In July 2003, a Belfast man, David Fleming, 50, was able to leave court without serving time after being caught with child abuse images on his computer.

Detectives raided Fleming’s home in Whitehead, County Antrim, and found him slumped and asleep at his computer. He was later compelled to move back with his parents after neighbours learned of his private activities.

The police examined his computer and discovered disturbing footage of a young girl, estimated to be 10 or 11 years old, engaging in sexual acts with an adult man. They also found a CD containing 14 different pornographic films, including one featuring the same girl for several minutes.

Fleming was arrested and admitted to the charges. During his appearance before Belfast Crown Court, he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to two years probation, with an order to attend a supervised unit for 30 days.

Judge Jeffrey Foote QC noted the gravity of any case involving children but decided against imprisonment, stating, “I have been persuaded that I don’t have to impose a custodial sentence.”

Despite the fact that Fleming faced six counts related to possession and creation of child pornography following the raid in February of the previous year, his defence lawyer, Taylor Campbell, pointed out that some files were duplicates. “This could not be referred to as anything like an extensive collection,” Mr. Campbell said.

The court was told Fleming had a fetish for women dressed as schoolchildren and had come across illegal videos while searching for adult pornography. “He accepts that he continued to look at these sites,” Mr. Campbell admitted. “You can’t get away from the fact that he made a CD recording.”

The lawyer emphasized that Fleming had never paid for the illegal images nor traded pictures with others, stating, “This man is by no stretch of the imagination a paedophile, a person who would touch a child or do something obscene in the presence of a child. He is horrified to find himself here.”

As a consequence of his offences, Fleming lost two jobs—one with Belfast City Council’s parks department and another delivering food for a Chinese takeaway. He also had to leave his home on Marine Avenue and move back in with his elderly parents, Mr. Campbell added.

Judge Foote warned Fleming that under current laws, he could face up to six months in jail for possessing child pornography images. However, he acknowledged Fleming's early guilty plea and lack of prior offending, stating, “In your favour are the facts that you pleaded guilty at a very early stage and you have no record of behaviour of this kind at all.”

Fleming was also ordered to register as a sex offender for seven years.