DAVID FORSHAW FROM BLACKBURN INVOLVED IN CHILD PORNOGRAPHY RING IN BLACKBURN
In March 2013, a disturbing case emerged involving David Forshaw, a 57-year-old resident of Blackburn, who was found to be deeply involved in a child abuse images ring.Forshaw, who also owns a motorcycle business, was discovered to have an extensive collection of illegal material stored on DVDs and computers at his home in Blackburn.
The authorities uncovered this illicit stash during a police raid, revealing the disturbing extent of his activities.
Forshaw was a supporter of a children’s hospice, a detail that added a layer of tragedy to the case, given his involvement in such heinous crimes.
During police interrogation, Forshaw admitted to fantasizing about having sexual relations with a 14-year-old girl, claiming that he believed relationships with girls of that age were normal.
This revelation underscored the disturbing nature of his mindset and the dangerous misconceptions he held.
He was actively sharing these vile images with other internet users, which led to his arrest.
The police found that Forshaw’s collection included a variety of indecent images, some of which depicted very young children, contrary to his claims of only being interested in teenagers.
The evidence was substantial, with the court hearing that Forshaw’s computer contained numerous movies and images at level four, indicating the most severe category of child exploitation material.
Forshaw’s address was listed as Peronne Crescent in Blackburn, and he faced multiple charges.
These included possession of seven movies at level four on DVDs, making four counts of indecent images of children—found on his computer towers, with 118 images at level four and others at lower levels—and distributing indecent images, with five of those at the most severe level four.
The court was told that Forshaw’s actions were part of a broader online sharing network, which facilitated the distribution of such illegal content.
He was sentenced to 16 months in prison after admitting to one count of possessing an indecent photo of a child, four counts of making indecent images, and four counts of distributing such images.
Additionally, Forshaw was ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register for ten years, a measure that will require him to regularly update authorities about his whereabouts and activities.
He was also issued a 10-year sexual offences prevention order, which restricts his internet use and involvement with children in any capacity.
Prosecutor Sarah Pritchard explained that the case came to light following a police operation in Scotland in April of the same year, which was initially targeting internet pornography downloads.
During the search of Forshaw’s home, officers seized two computer hard drives, various electronic devices, and a large collection of DVDs, all of which contained evidence of his illegal activities.
Defense attorney Daniel King argued that Forshaw’s understanding of his actions was naive, emphasizing that he was not involved in selling or distributing images through digital means.
However, Judge Andrew Woolman made it clear that Forshaw’s long-standing and unhealthy obsession with child pornography was evident, and that he had shared these images with others over the years, which compounded the severity of his crimes.
In a related incident earlier in January 2013, Forshaw appeared at Blackburn Magistrates’ Court, where he was found with additional indecent images on his computer and CDs.
During questioning, Forshaw unrepentantly told police that he believed girls of 14 years of age were approaching adulthood and that once a girl had developed breasts, there was “nothing wrong” with it.
He pleaded guilty to possessing, making, and distributing indecent images and was remanded to Preston Crown Court for sentencing.
As a condition of his bail, Forshaw was prohibited from associating with anyone under the age of 16.
Prosecutor Neil White highlighted that Forshaw had labeled some images as “CP” for child porn and others as “AP” for adult porn, indicating a disturbing attempt to differentiate between the content.
Forshaw’s attitude during the investigation was dismissive and unrepentant, with White noting that Forshaw accepted the images were illegal but showed no remorse.
His defense, led by Aftab Bakhat, acknowledged that the case would be transferred to the Crown Court for sentencing, reflecting the gravity of the charges against him.
