BLACKPOOL MAN NICHOLAS KISTNER SENTENCED FOR CHILD INDECENT IMAGES IN THORNTON
In July 2020, a disturbing case emerged involving Nicholas Kistner, a 33-year-old resident of Chesterfield Road in Blackpool, who was found to possess a large collection of indecent images and videos depicting children as young as two years old.The investigation was initiated after police received intelligence indicating that such illicit material had been downloaded or shared via an IP address located on Rossendale Avenue, Thornton, through a social media account linked to Kistner's email address.
Law enforcement officers acted swiftly upon this information.
When they arrived at Kistner’s residence, he was at work.
During the search, officers recovered a Samsung mobile phone, which Kistner handed over voluntarily.
Additionally, he provided several usernames and identification details associated with an iPad, which were later examined by digital forensic experts.
The analysis of the devices revealed a Dropbox account containing numerous folders with disturbing titles such as 'Kids', 'Teens', and 'Mummy and Me'.
Within these folders, investigators discovered a total of 146 videos and images involving children aged between two and fourteen years old.
Of these, 20 videos and nine images were classified as Category A, indicating the most severe level of harm and illegal content under law.
Further examination uncovered 20 images and 10 videos categorized as Category B, and 86 images along with one video classified as Category C, representing varying degrees of severity.
During the court proceedings at Preston Crown Court, Judge Sara Dodd described the material as 'very disturbing,' especially the Category A videos.
She expressed her disbelief that a father of a young girl could even begin to view such images, emphasizing the gravity of the offense.
The judge remarked that Kistner’s explanation for possessing the material was incomprehensible and did not align with the assessments of the probation officers involved.
Judge Dodd highlighted the distress and pain inflicted upon the children depicted in the images, noting that they are likely someone's daughters or granddaughters.
She stated that the threshold for custody had been 'well and truly crossed' but decided that a suspended sentence combined with strict probation measures would serve better in protecting the public.
As part of his sentence, Kistner was ordered to complete 120 hours of unpaid work, and he was issued a five-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
Additionally, he is required to attend a specialized sex offender treatment program to address his behavior and prevent future offenses.
