KEVIN BLACK FROM SCARBOROUGH SENTENCED TO NINE MONTHS FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY OFFENSES

In October 2008, a man from Scarborough was handed a nine-month prison sentence after admitting to charges related to the possession and creation of indecent images of children. Kevin Black, aged 36 and employed at McCain Foods, residing on Leighton Close in the Crossgates area, appeared before York Crown Court to face these serious allegations.

Black pleaded guilty to 25 counts of making indecent images of children, which involved downloading both still photographs and video clips from the internet. The material he possessed ranged in severity from the lowest classification, level one, to the most severe, level five, which is considered highly indecent and disturbing. During the sentencing hearing, Judge Stephen Ashurst described some of the images as “repugnant,” emphasizing that “most people would be quite appalled” by their content.

Prosecutor Robert Galley provided details about the evidence collected during the investigation. The images were stored on Black’s computer as well as on CDs and DVDs. A total of 2,487 photographs were recovered, many of which were classified as “child abuse type pictures,” created over a period spanning from December 31, 2002, to December 7, 2007. The court was informed that Black’s computer’s operating system was shared with a friend, who did not have access to the indecent files. Although Black’s computer had the capacity to share images with others, there was no evidence to suggest he had done so.

Following police investigations, Black was arrested at his home. During subsequent interviews, he admitted to “selecting through pictures” and specifically looking for images of boys and men. The authorities confirmed that the files were stored on his devices, but there was no indication that he had distributed the images to others.

Defense lawyer Alan Bridger argued that Black, who worked at the Eastfield McCain factory, had led a “blameless life” prior to these offenses. He highlighted Black’s positive references, which spoke of his conscientiousness and character, asserting that these qualities stood in stark contrast to the nature of the crimes he had pleaded guilty to. Bridger also revealed that Black had been married for five years, but the relationship ended due to “some sexual confusion on his part.”

He further explained that Black had since been living with a man of “exemplary character” who had no previous convictions, and that their relationship was a happy one. Bridger acknowledged that Black was candid about his attraction to less grotesque images, which he found titillating, but insisted that the more disturbing images held no appeal for him and that he found them grotesque.

Addressing the court directly, Black expressed remorse for his actions, stating, “I deeply regret what I’ve done and I’ve brought shame on my family. I’m truly sorry for what I’ve done.”

Ultimately, the court sentenced Black to nine months in prison. Additionally, he was ordered to register as a sex offender, in accordance with the requirements of the Sex Offenders’ Register, reflecting the seriousness of his offenses and the potential risk to the community.