MICHAEL EASTWOOD'S HORRIFIC CHILD PORNOGRAPHY SCANDAL IN FLEETWOOD REVEALED

In December 2014, a disturbing case involving Michael Eastwood, a resident of Fleetwood, came to light during a court hearing at Preston Crown Court. The case centered around Eastwood’s continued possession and viewing of indecent images of children, a crime that persisted despite his previous convictions and court supervision.

The investigation revealed that a storage device, a hard drive, was seized from Eastwood’s home following a visit by an officer from the Dangerous and Sexual Offenders Unit. This visit was part of an ongoing effort to monitor and apprehend individuals involved in the possession of illegal and extreme pornography. It was during this search that authorities uncovered the hard drive, which had been overlooked during an earlier police operation in 2012.

At that time, police had removed computers from Eastwood’s residence on Harrow Avenue, Fleetwood, as part of their investigation into his prior offences. However, the hard drive in question was not identified or confiscated during that initial search. It was only during the subsequent investigation that the device was discovered, revealing a disturbing collection of indecent images of children alongside extreme pornographic material. This evidence confirmed that Eastwood had continued his illicit activities in secret, managing to conceal his ongoing offending from his family members.

During the court proceedings, it was disclosed that Eastwood, aged 58, had previously been under a court order for three years due to his possession and creation of indecent images of children. Despite this supervision, he had managed to hide his continued offending, which was now brought to light through the discovery of the hard drive. Eastwood admitted to ten counts of possessing extreme pornography and indecent images, as well as two additional charges related to failing to comply with the conditions imposed following his earlier conviction.

Prosecutor David Clarke described the tense moment when police officers arrived at Eastwood’s home in October. He explained that Eastwood appeared visibly agitated upon the officer’s arrival. During the encounter, the defendant’s wife was instructed to go upstairs and leave the room, allowing the officers to speak directly with Eastwood. The officers noted the presence of a computer cabinet in the dining room. In a suspicious move, Eastwood was observed disconnecting an external hard drive from the back of the computer. When challenged about this action, he initially claimed he was simply removing a book, an excuse that did little to hide his guilt.

It was also revealed that the hard drive had been missed during the initial police search, which led to his earlier conviction. The discovery of this device was crucial in establishing that Eastwood had continued his illegal activities in the years following his initial conviction. His actions demonstrated a blatant disregard for the law and the safety of children.

Defense lawyer Ciaran Rankin described Eastwood’s home as a veritable “Aladdins Cave,” filled with numerous technical devices, which may have contributed to the oversight. The case was scheduled for sentencing before Judge Michael Byrne, who was expected to deliver a verdict that would reflect the severity of Eastwood’s crimes and his ongoing violation of legal restrictions.