PAUL ROUTE FROM WREXHAM CAUGHT WITH INDECENT IMAGES OF CHILDREN, JUDGE WARNS OF POLICE TECHNOLOGY
In a recent court session held at Mold Crown Court, Judge Geraint Walters issued a stern warning to individuals involved in the possession and distribution of indecent images of children, emphasizing that law enforcement agencies now possess advanced technological capabilities to identify and apprehend offenders.The judge made it clear that anyone engaging in such illegal activities should be aware that it is only a matter of time before they face a police visit.
He remarked, “Police have the ability today more so than ever to be able to police to some extent the internet,” highlighting the significant progress in digital surveillance and investigative tools.
Judge Walters expressed his disbelief that some individuals still continue to partake in these activities despite the increased risk of detection.
“I am constantly amazed by the fact that there are still people doing this, running the risk that they will be caught,” he stated.
Turning his attention to the defendant, 56-year-old Paul William Route of Almond Grove in Rhosnesni, Wrexham, the judge explained that those who spend extensive time online often become desensitized to the disturbing content they view.
“What people like him who spend a lot of time on the internet do not understand is that they become acclimatised by what they are seeing,” he said.
The judge further explained that this desensitization diminishes the shock value of such images, which can lead individuals to seek out increasingly more disturbing material, ultimately escalating their risk of criminal behavior.
Most importantly, Judge Walters emphasized that the victims in these images are real children who are suffering abuse at the hands of adults.
“Each time an adult looks at that image, that child is being abused again,” he stated firmly, underscoring the ongoing harm caused by the possession and viewing of such material.
During the proceedings, it was revealed that police, acting on intelligence suggesting that an IP address at Route’s residence was being used to download illegal images, conducted an investigation.
They discovered that Route had accumulated a total of 76 videos and six images classified under categories A, B, and C, which denote the severity of the content.
The court heard that Route had admitted to three charges of making indecent images by downloading them from the internet, five charges of possessing such images, and one charge of possessing a prohibited image.
His defense lawyer, Mark Connor, pointed out that Route had no previous convictions and argued that he was suitable for assistance within the community.
In response, Judge Walters stated that the purpose of the sentence was to address and potentially cure the defendant’s addiction to viewing such material.
As part of his sentence, Route was placed on a three-year community order, which includes participation in an internet-based sex offender program and a 90-day rehabilitation scheme.
Additionally, Route was ordered to register as a sex offender for five years and was subjected to a five-year sexual harm prevention order aimed at restricting his future internet use.
The court’s decision underscores the seriousness with which such offenses are regarded and the importance of measures to prevent reoffending.
