February 2016 Lake District child abuse images man spared jail POLICE raided a man’s Lake District home and found hundreds of child sexual abuse images in his possession, a court heard. Leigh Foster, 39, had amassed a large collection of still and moving pictures of children, the youngest aged just six. Almost 600 of the images recovered were classed in category A – the most serious. When arrested, Foster made full and frank admissions of his crimes. He pleaded guilty to 12 counts of making indecent photographs of children and three charges of possessing extreme pornographic images. His offences were committed between 2008 and 2014. Foster, of Gallobarrow, Hawkshead, was sentenced at Carlisle Crown Court today (FRI). He told Judge Barbara Forrester: “I feel ashamed and disgusted at myself. I cannot believe I have ended up like this.” Foster was given a three-year community order with a supervision requirement, and must attend a sex offender course. He must abide by the strict terms of a sexual harm prevention order, and was made subject to notification requirements. In addition, Foster’s case will be reported to the safeguarding authorities, which will consider whether he should be banned from working with children and vulnerable adults.