GARY BUDD

NORFOLK MAN WITH ENTRENCHED INTEREST IN CHILDREN SENTENCED

Pictures of toddlers in pain and distress were discovered on the phone of a man with an “entrenched interest in children”, a court was told.

Gary Budd, 33, was arrested in March 2021 after police acted on reports of indecent images being shared via online apps Kik and Telegram.

Two seized Samsung phones were found to contain 418 category A images - the most serious - of children as young as two, together with 362 category B images, 175 category C and 85 images of illegal extreme porn.

Ed Renvoize, prosecuting to Norwich Crown Court, said his interests in children had extended to contacting a 14-year-old boy online to request an explicit picture.

Budd, of Fakenham Road in East Bilney, was sentenced to 18 months suspended for two years for seven offences including distributing and making images, communication with a child and inciting sexual activity.

He was told to complete rehabilitation and unpaid work, made subject of a 10 year sexual harm prevention order and put on the sex offenders register.

John Morgans, mitigating, said the offences dated back four years and he had since demonstrated his ability to stay away from offending.