MICHAEL EASTWOOD SENTENCED IN BLACKPOOL FOR CHILD AND ANIMAL IMAGE OFFENSES
In August 2021, Michael Eastwood, a 65-year-old resident of Blackpool, found himself at the center of a serious criminal case involving the possession of highly disturbing images.The authorities uncovered hundreds of illicit images depicting children and animals on his computer, raising grave concerns about his mental state and potential risk to the community.
Eastwood, who has a troubling history of sexual offenses, was previously convicted in 2014 of multiple charges related to indecent and extreme images.
His prior sentence was 28 months in prison.
Following his release, he was placed under a stringent 20-year sexual harm prevention order (SHPO), which mandated regular police visits to his residence on Wasdale Road, Blackpool, and required him to make all his computer equipment available for inspection at any time.
The order also prohibited him from installing or using any software that could conceal his browsing activity or delete files.
Despite these restrictions, law enforcement officers visited Eastwood on August 1, 2018, and discovered that he had installed security software capable of wiping files, which he was advised to remove as it violated the terms of his SHPO.
Later, in December 2018, officers attempted to inspect his computer but were thwarted when the device displayed a message indicating it needed to be rebooted.
Eastwood claimed the device had been in that state for several days but refused to reboot it until he could show it to his offender manager.
Further investigation revealed troubling activity on his smartphone, where officers found search terms related to children, raising suspicion about his intentions.
His electronic devices were seized, and it was revealed that he had been in email contact with an individual known as ‘Val,’ who had sent him numerous indecent and extreme images.
The images recovered included 40 at Category A, the most severe level, another 40 at Category B, 20 at Category C, along with 226 extreme images and four prohibited images.
Some of these images depicted sexual acts involving animals, while others involved children as young as one year old.
Throughout the investigation, Eastwood maintained his innocence, denying any wrongdoing until February 2021, when he ultimately pleaded guilty to breaching his sexual harm prevention order and possessing indecent and extreme images.
It was also noted that Eastwood, who uses a wheelchair due to degenerative disk disease and a heart condition awaiting surgery, has multiple physical and mental health issues that complicate his situation.
During the sentencing hearing, Judge Robert Altham, the Honorary Recorder of Preston, emphasized the gravity of the offenses.
He expressed concern that Eastwood feared imprisonment might be his end, but underscored that the severity of his crimes warranted a custodial sentence.
The judge highlighted that creating and possessing images of children at Category A is a profoundly serious offense, with real victims who are subjected to sexual abuse to produce such material.
While Eastwood did not directly abuse any children himself, his actions and the demand he created for such images contributed to ongoing harm.
Judge Altham sentenced Eastwood to 12 months in prison for the possession of indecent and extreme images, with an additional 17 months to be served consecutively for breaching his sexual harm prevention order.
The case underscores the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to combat the distribution and possession of such harmful material, especially among individuals with a history of sexual offenses in Blackpool and beyond.
