RAYMOND BECKETT SENTENCED IN HULL FOR DISTRIBUTING CHILD INDECENT IMAGES
In March 2016, a pensioner from Hull was revealed as a paedophile after sending indecent images of children to someone he met on a social networking site.Raymond Beckett, aged 71, transmitted two such images from his mobile phone to an unknown man last October.
One image, classified as Category A—the most serious—depicted a girl aged between six and ten being raped.
The second showed a boy aged between eight and ten.
The recipient handed Beckett's mobile number to the police, leading to his arrest.
Authorities recovered two mobile phones from Beckett; one contained eight Category A images, a Category B image, and three at Category C.
Prosecutor Stephen Welch informed Hull Crown Court, "The defendant indicated during interview that he was bisexual and had been texting others via a dating site.
He admitted sending two indecent images." Beckett claimed he believed the girl was ten years old and the boy was between 11 and 13, stating, "He realised they were children." He also said he didn't know the contact's name but discussed sex and potentially having sex with children with him.
The defendant admitted that he had received images from another male and mistakenly thought he possessed five images, but in reality, he possessed twelve.
Mr.
Welch noted, "Confronted with the evidence, he accepted he kept all the images and described himself as a fool for doing so." Beckett, of Eglington Avenue in east Hull, pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children and two counts of distributing them.
He had no prior convictions.
Referring to a pre-sentence report, Judge Paul Watson QC addressed Catherine Kioko-Gilligan, representing Beckett, saying, "There are clear issues within his marriage.
How that will play out remains uncertain.
There is some genuine remorse and insight into the potential harm these acts cause.
It’s a straightforward choice between prison and the sex offenders’ programme.
Do you think he can complete the three-year programme?" "No, Your Honour," Ms.
Kioko-Gilligan replied.
The judge sentenced Beckett to a three-year community order, stating, "Raymond Beckett, if it hadn’t been for your age and previously good character, I would find it very difficult to avoid sending you straight to prison today." Although his offending was not the worst of its kind, the judge described the material as "pretty disgraceful," noting that it would disgust any reasonable observer.
Beckett was ordered to attend the Northumbria sex offenders' programme, which the judge believed could benefit him and, ultimately, the community.
He was also required to register as a sex offender for five years and was subject to a sexual harm prevention order for the same duration.
Additionally, Beckett was given six months to pay £250 toward the £340 in prosecution costs.
