January 2012 Wedding photographer who surfed internet for child porn for nine years escapes jail A wedding photographer who spent nine years surfing the internet for child pornography has avoided prison. John Eckersall, 63, downloaded images, including indecent pictures of children as young as six, while working from home. Manchester’s Minshull Street Crown Court was told that the father-of-two was so ashamed, that on the day of his appearance in the dock, he had still not confessed to his wife. Sentencing him, Judge Jonathan Geake told him: “You have a long, decent hard working life behind you. All that is now forfeit. You are a married man with a family, and all of that is now in jeopardy. I understand you have yet to disclose this to your wife.” The court heard Eckersall , of Colbrook Road, Timperley, near Altrincham, was a retired civil servant who had retrained as a professional wedding photographer. He pleaded guilty to 17 offences, 11 relating to downloading indecent images of young children and six of downloading extreme pornography involving adults. He was sentenced to a three-year community order which involves a treatment programme. He will also be on the sex offenders’ register for five years. Barrie Darby, prosecuting, said police had visited Eckersall’s home last May and seized computer equipment. He admitted he had been paying to download videos using his credit card for almost nine years. Richard Littler, defending, said his client immediately admitted what he had been doing when questioned by police. He said: “It is something that is an obsession. He has made it plain that he is not proud of it, rather he has been distraught and disgusted at what he has done.” Mr Littler said his client had been found in possession of 147 images of children, all graded at the lowest level one in terms of seriousness.