HOWARD LAWSON BANNED FROM BELLE VUE LEEDS FOR CHILD PORN AND SEXUAL OFFENCES

In May 2012, Howard Lawson, a man residing in the Belle Vue area of Leeds, was sentenced to prison after a series of disturbing crimes involving child exploitation and possession of illegal images. The case revealed a pattern of deeply troubling behavior, including the superimposition of his own face onto images of children being sexually abused, as well as the possession of over 15,000 illicit images and videos stored on his home computers.

Lawson, who lived at Consort View in Belle Vue, was found guilty of possessing a vast collection of indecent images of children, with the total number exceeding 15,000. Among these, 2,070 images were classified as level four, indicating a high degree of severity, and 225 were categorized as level five, the most serious level of illegal content. The police investigation was triggered in August 2009 when officers seized his computers after being alerted that Lawson had accessed an extreme website based in Croatia. The discovery of such a large quantity of illegal material marked a significant escalation in the case.

The police reports detailed that Lawson had a longstanding sexual interest in children, which he admitted to officers after his arrest. He described his initial curiosity as “titillation,” but over time, he confessed to becoming “hooked” on downloading and viewing these disturbing images. The investigation also uncovered that Lawson had previously been convicted of indecently assaulting a girl under the age of 14 in 1997, adding a further layer of seriousness to his criminal record.

During the court proceedings, Lawson pleaded guilty to 21 charges related to the possession of indecent images of children. The court heard that he had digitally altered images of a young victim he had previously assaulted, placing his own face onto the images of children being abused. This act of superimposing his face onto such vile images demonstrated a disturbing level of depravity and a desire to manipulate and personalize his illegal material.

Nick Worsley, representing Lawson, provided a defense that highlighted Lawson’s health issues. He explained that Lawson suffers from a rare genetic disease affecting only five families in the UK, which causes his eyesight to deteriorate. Worsley stated that Lawson was expected to become completely blind within approximately five years. He also emphasized that Lawson had not committed any further offenses since his arrest and that he had experienced significant stress due to the ongoing legal proceedings for nearly three years.

Despite these mitigating factors, the presiding judge, Geoffrey Marson QC, made it clear that public safety and the severity of the crimes took precedence. He sentenced Lawson to ten months in prison, emphasizing that it was his duty to do so. The judge remarked, “It is a further aggravating feature in your case that using your computer knowledge, you superimposed your younger face on to the face of the perpetrators of these vile images.” He further added, “It is accepted by you, that downloading these images for your own sexual gratification contributed to the degradation and suffering of these children.”

In conclusion, the court underscored the gravity of Lawson’s offenses and the importance of protecting vulnerable children from such exploitation. The case serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing battle against child abuse and the importance of rigorous law enforcement in tackling these heinous crimes.