WIRRAL MAN ROBERT RICHARDSON SPARED JAIL AFTER DOWNLOAD OF OVER 70,000 CHILD SEX ABUSE IMAGES IN BEBINGTON
| Red Rose Database
Wirral Child Sexual Abuser
In April 2012, Robert Richardson, a man from Bebington on the Wirral, was found to have downloaded more than 70,000 indecent images of children. He was caught after developing what he described as a 'fascination' with such material. Richardson, who is 52 and has a beard, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court where he pleaded guilty to 16 offences related to the downloading of indecent photographs and videos of children.
A judge told Richardson that his 12-month prison sentence would be suspended for two years, citing his cooperation since arrest and his efforts to address his issues through counselling. Judge David Fletcher expressed his distress upon viewing some of the images, saying, 'They are horrific and every single one represents an abuse of a child somewhere in the world. I looked carefully at the expression on the faces of the children and it was blank helplessness. Someone for the gratification of people like you is making these images. If no one was looking at them, there would be no reason to produce them in the first place.'
Despite the severity of the crime, the judge acknowledged Richardson's good character, stating, 'What you have done is to use the delay in bringing this case to court in a constructive way and you are also a man of good character. You did not seek out others to share them with and you did not pay for them.'
Prosecutor Simon Duncan revealed that authorities received information from German police regarding UK users on a specific website, leading to Richardson’s arrest on August 5, 2010, at his home on Brackenwood Road. His laptop and computer tower were seized, and during interviews, Richardson admitted to downloading and storing the images. Further analysis uncovered a total of 73,862 images and movies, including nearly 9,000 in the two most serious categories, downloaded over a four-year span from February 2006 to August 2010.
Richardson’s lawyer, John Weate, highlighted that Richardson had no prior convictions and was visibly distressed during police interviews. He noted that Richardson’s life had been heavily affected by past abuse and that he was currently receiving counselling from a specialized group. After his arrest, Richardson’s wife left him, but both she and other family members have since shown strong support.
Weate added, 'He has brought great shame on his family and has expressed the view he deserves to be punished. He says he did not gain sexual gratification from the images and it became a fascination looking at them.' The lawyer also mentioned Richardson's past self-harm and vulnerability in prison.
The judge ordered Richardson to sign the Sex Offenders Register for ten years, imposed a Sexual Offences Prevention Order restricting his computer use for five years, placed him under supervision, and encouraged him to continue with counseling, which is expected to last another two years.
A judge told Richardson that his 12-month prison sentence would be suspended for two years, citing his cooperation since arrest and his efforts to address his issues through counselling. Judge David Fletcher expressed his distress upon viewing some of the images, saying, 'They are horrific and every single one represents an abuse of a child somewhere in the world. I looked carefully at the expression on the faces of the children and it was blank helplessness. Someone for the gratification of people like you is making these images. If no one was looking at them, there would be no reason to produce them in the first place.'
Despite the severity of the crime, the judge acknowledged Richardson's good character, stating, 'What you have done is to use the delay in bringing this case to court in a constructive way and you are also a man of good character. You did not seek out others to share them with and you did not pay for them.'
Prosecutor Simon Duncan revealed that authorities received information from German police regarding UK users on a specific website, leading to Richardson’s arrest on August 5, 2010, at his home on Brackenwood Road. His laptop and computer tower were seized, and during interviews, Richardson admitted to downloading and storing the images. Further analysis uncovered a total of 73,862 images and movies, including nearly 9,000 in the two most serious categories, downloaded over a four-year span from February 2006 to August 2010.
Richardson’s lawyer, John Weate, highlighted that Richardson had no prior convictions and was visibly distressed during police interviews. He noted that Richardson’s life had been heavily affected by past abuse and that he was currently receiving counselling from a specialized group. After his arrest, Richardson’s wife left him, but both she and other family members have since shown strong support.
Weate added, 'He has brought great shame on his family and has expressed the view he deserves to be punished. He says he did not gain sexual gratification from the images and it became a fascination looking at them.' The lawyer also mentioned Richardson's past self-harm and vulnerability in prison.
The judge ordered Richardson to sign the Sex Offenders Register for ten years, imposed a Sexual Offences Prevention Order restricting his computer use for five years, placed him under supervision, and encouraged him to continue with counseling, which is expected to last another two years.