PETER JOSEPH CRAWFORD FROM BELFAST PLEADS GUILTY TO CHILD ABUSE IMAGE CHARGES

Peter Joseph Crawford, a 49-year-old resident of Rosemount Gardens in north Belfast, has admitted to additional charges related to the possession of indecent images of children. The case was heard at Belfast Crown Court, where Crawford faced serious allegations concerning his involvement with illegal material.

Previously, Crawford had a criminal record dating back to 2004, when he was sentenced to 18 months in prison at Downpatrick Crown Court for downloading child abuse images from the internet. During that earlier case, authorities uncovered a disturbing collection of 312 indecent images of minors stored on his home computer. Among these images, 14 were classified in the most severe categories, indicating a high level of exploitation and abuse.

Initially, Crawford denied four separate charges of possessing indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of children. However, with legal representation provided by his counsel Luke Curran, he later retracted his denial and pleaded guilty to possessing Category C images. These images were allegedly possessed during a period spanning from June 10, 2018, to June 23, 2021.

There remains an outstanding charge concerning Category B images, which Crawford has not yet addressed. During the court proceedings, Crawford was asked if he had any previous convictions, to which he confirmed that he had one relevant conviction from two decades ago.

Judge Mark Reel ordered that Crawford be released on continuing bail until the sentencing hearing, which is scheduled for June 4, 2025. The court also awaits a report from the Probation Board to inform the final sentencing decision, emphasizing the seriousness of the case and the ongoing judicial process.