MACCLESFIELD MAN LESLIE ETHERINGTON CAUGHT WITH CHILD PORNOGRAPHY IMAGES AND EXTREME VIDEOS

In July 2016, Leslie Etherington, a 60-year-old resident of Barracks Square in Macclesfield, found himself at the center of a serious criminal investigation concerning the possession and distribution of indecent images of children. The case emerged after police executed a search warrant at his home, uncovering a disturbing collection of illicit material that included thousands of images and several videos of an extreme sexual nature.

During the raid, law enforcement officials discovered a total of 248 images classified as Category A, which is considered the most severe level of indecency, along with 454 images in Category B and a staggering 1,575 images in Category C. In addition to these photographs, officers also seized three videos depicting extreme sexual content involving minors. The evidence was overwhelming and highlighted the extent of Etherington’s involvement in the possession of illegal material.

Leslie Etherington was formally charged with multiple offenses, including three counts of making indecent images of children, possession of such images, and possession of an extreme pornographic image. He appeared before Judge Roger Dutton, who presided over his case, and pleaded guilty to all charges. The judge subsequently sentenced Etherington to eight months in prison, but the sentence was suspended for two years, meaning he would not serve time unless he committed another offense within that period. Judge Dutton issued a stern warning, emphasizing that any future violations would result in immediate incarceration.

Prosecutor Emma Smythe provided details about the police investigation, revealing that authorities had received information linking a Twitter account to the upload of 20 indecent images. This led to the tracing of a connecting email address and IP address, which ultimately pointed to Etherington. Following this lead, police conducted a thorough search of his residence in October 2015, where they found multiple computers, laptops, hard drives, and disks containing illicit material. During police interviews, Etherington claimed he did not have a sexual interest in children but admitted to uploading the images because he believed the girls depicted were 18 years or older. Forensic analysis of one hard disk revealed a total of 2,277 images and three videos dating back to 2002. Etherington explained to officers that he had been under the influence of medication and alcohol at the time, which he suggested might have influenced his actions.

Defense lawyer Julian Farley argued that Etherington’s offending was driven by loneliness, boredom, illness, alcohol consumption, and a lack of personal relationships. He pointed out that most of the images were downloaded between 2002 and 2010, during which his computer had broken down. The more recent images, from 2014 and 2015, were few in number and occurred during a period when Etherington was experiencing severe bipolar disorder, depression, and alcohol abuse. Judge Dutton acknowledged that much of the material was historic and emphasized that there was no evidence Etherington had shared the images or had any contact with children. Nonetheless, he stressed that each image represented a victim, a child, and that such material could not be dismissed lightly.

As part of his sentence, Etherington was ordered to undergo a supervision program with a rehabilitation activity lasting 25 days. Additionally, he was required to sign the Sex Offenders Register for a period of ten years, ensuring ongoing monitoring of his activities to prevent further offenses.