LIVERPOOL MAN SENTENCED TO 30 MONTHS FOR CHILD ABUSE IMAGES

A man named Lewis Cheung was visibly shaken in the dock as details of his disturbing WhatsApp conversations and online activities were revealed in court. Cheung, aged 41 and residing on Belvidere Road, was found to have shared a disturbing collection of indecent images of children with a fellow user whom he referred to as his 'amazing friend'. He also admitted to loving 'beast porn' during private chats. The police investigation uncovered 852 indecent images and eight videos of children as young as four years old on a Samsung Galaxy S8, including 268 images classified as the most severe (category A). Additionally, Cheung downloaded two computer generated illegal images and 149 extreme pornographic images. He admitted to being 'addicted to pornography and drugs' and expressed a desire for help. His phone was seized during a search warrant executed at his home. Cheung has a prior conviction from last year involving an offensive weapon. The court heard that his offending was linked to a series of personal issues, including drug addiction, a breakup, and bereavement. Cheung pleaded guilty to multiple counts including distributing indecent images, making indecent images, possession of prohibited images, and possession of extreme pornographic images. During sentencing, Judge David Swinnerton emphasized the seriousness of his actions, stating, 'This is not a one-off. Sexualised images of children and the possession of them are treated seriously, and the distribution of them even more so.' Cheung was sentenced to 30 months in prison and was handed a lifelong sexual harm prevention order, requiring him to register as a sex offender indefinitely. The court highlighted the damaging impact of such images, noting, 'Every single image represents a real child being sexually abused or raped somewhere in the world,' and stressed that offenders are contributing to ongoing abuse and exploitation.