BRADFORD PAEDOPHILE DEAN FAULKNER SENTENCED FOR DARK WEB CHILD PORNOGRAPHY
In February 2021, Dean Faulkner, a resident of Bradford, was convicted of possessing a vast collection of indecent images of children, some as young as six months old, along with explicit material involving adults.The authorities uncovered that Faulkner had amassed a total of 21,113 such images across four different electronic devices, including a personal computer.
These images were not only stored but also downloaded by Faulkner from the dark web, where he accessed highly disturbing and revolting content, as described by prosecutors.
According to court proceedings, Faulkner engaged in this illicit activity over a period spanning from October 2014 until his arrest in July 2019.
The Bradford Crown Court heard that on the day of his arrest, officers conducted a search of his electronic devices following a visit related to his ongoing sexual harm prevention order, which had been imposed due to previous offences.
During the search, investigators discovered that Faulkner had been actively searching for and downloading both still images and videos depicting child abuse via a private browser on the dark web.
It was revealed that Faulkner was doing this while his partner of ten years was sleeping upstairs, highlighting the secretive and compulsive nature of his actions.
Furthermore, evidence indicated that Faulkner not only consumed this material but also made it available for others to download through file-sharing software installed on his computer.
Prosecutor Rebecca Young stated that Faulkner was accessing these images daily at one point, demonstrating a persistent and dangerous pattern of offending.
During police interviews, Faulkner admitted that he needed help to combat his addiction to such material, acknowledging the severity of his problem.
His address was listed as Mayo Avenue, Bradford.
The court sentenced him to three years and nine months in prison for six offences, including making indecent photographs of children, possessing prohibited images, and possessing an extreme pornographic image involving a sexual act between an adult and a dog.
Additionally, Faulkner was convicted of breaching a sexual offences prevention order that had been issued in January 2014.
Faulkner’s criminal history includes previous convictions for gross indecency and multiple counts of possessing indecent images of children.
Having pleaded guilty to the charges earlier, he was also subjected to a lifelong sexual harm prevention order.
Judge Jonathan Rose described Faulkner as a 'potential danger' to society, emphasizing the gravity of his actions.
The judge stated, “You opened your computer to other like-minded paedophiles.
You derived sexual pleasure out of watching the abuse and defilement of children in a sexual way.
You offended while your partner slept upstairs.
You descended into the dark web.
You found the most base material you could in a way to avoid detection.
When you were working, you did not give into your sexual interest in children, but once you lost your job you did.
This excuse is wholly without merit.
Your offending continued up until the day of your arrest.
You have taken few, if any, steps to control your extreme offending.
If men like you did not watch it, it would not be made.”
