GRAHAM FAIRHURST SENTENCED IN LIVERPOOL FOR CHILD INDECENT IMAGES
In October 2004, Graham Fairhurst, a 44-year-old from Newtown, was sentenced to 11 months in jail after admitting to possessing over 60,000 indecent images of children.Fairhurst, of Marsden Street, was detained in July when police executed a search warrant at his home.
During the raid, officers uncovered two computers containing a vast collection of abusive images, which included both pictures of naked children and highly explicit photographs depicting sexual acts between adults and minors.
Authorities also seized children’s underwear, Polaroid photographs of young people, and books comprising stories of child abuse.
Prosecutor Vincent Yip explained to Wigan magistrates that the investigation was part of Operation Baglan, a campaign launched by Greater Manchester Police in 2004 to target child sexual abuse image cases.
The police forced entry after Fairhurst failed to respond to knocks and found him at the top of his stairs.
During his arrest, he remarked, "I know what it’s all about." Alongside the digital devices, they recovered videotapes, negatives, a digital camera, and credit card statements.
Fairhurst was ordered to register as a sex offender for ten years.
In addition, Liverpool Crown Court judged that there was a significant risk of re-offending, leading to an indefinite ban on working with children.
Judge Gerald Clifton addressed Fairhurst, who showed no reaction, stating, "The images you have seen show an appalling abuse of children.
You are abusing that child as much as if that child was physically in front of you."
