NICKY HORSFALL FROM WORKINGTON SENTENCED FOR GUN THREAT AND CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CRIMES

In a case that has sent shockwaves through the community of Workington, Nicky Horsfall, aged 31, of Hillcrest, Northside Road, was handed a substantial prison sentence after a series of alarming criminal activities came to light. The proceedings took place at Carlisle Crown Court, where Horsfall was sentenced to a total of four and a half years behind bars for multiple serious offenses.

The incident that triggered the investigation occurred in the early hours of Saturday, October 12th, 2013, on Northside Road in Workington. At approximately 2 a.m., a 24-year-old man, who was working at a nearby construction site, observed Horsfall urinating against a fence. The worker approached Horsfall and asked him to leave the area. Just a few minutes later, the victim heard a series of loud bangs emanating from outside the portacabin where he was stationed. Curious and concerned, he stepped outside to investigate and was confronted with a frightening scene: Horsfall was standing outside, brandishing a black handgun.

Horsfall then issued a threatening command, pointing the weapon at the victim and shouting racial slurs. He ordered the man to get on his knees and subsequently instructed him to enter the portacabin. After issuing these threats, Horsfall left the scene, disappearing into the night. Thanks to the detailed description provided by the victim, police were able to swiftly identify Horsfall as the suspect. He was promptly arrested and taken into custody.

During the court proceedings, Horsfall pleaded guilty on January 29th, 2014, to charges of possessing an imitation firearm with the intent to cause fear or violence, as well as racially aggravated threats of violence through verbal abuse. The court adjourned sentencing on these charges until after further investigations into more serious allegations involving indecent images and extreme pornography. The investigation revealed that Horsfall’s computer contained illegal material, including images of child abuse and extreme pornography depicting acts of intercourse.

Detective Constable Andy Yoxall, who led the investigation, expressed his concern over the distress caused to the victim. He stated, “This was a very distressing ordeal for the victim who was in genuine fear for his life. On examination of the gun, which was located at Horsfall’s home address, it was discovered to be a replica. However, it was still used in a threatening manner to scare and frighten someone. The sentence handed down today underscores the firm stance taken by Cumbria Police, the Crown Prosecution Service, and the courts against threats of violence in the region.”

Further investigations into Horsfall’s digital devices uncovered disturbing evidence of racial hostility and illegal pornography. On January 23rd, 2014, Horsfall was formally charged with nine counts of making indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of children, along with two counts of possessing extreme pornographic images involving acts of intercourse. In July of the same year, Horsfall was found guilty at Carlisle Crown Court of all nine counts related to child pornography and the possession of extreme pornographic material. The court adjourned sentencing to allow for pre-sentence reports to be prepared.

DC Yoxall emphasized the importance of safeguarding the public from such offenders, remarking, “It was only a matter of time before Horsfall was discovered due to the extreme nature of the images he was viewing. Protecting the public is paramount, and safeguarding measures are in place to help identify individuals who view child and extreme pornography.”