CONVICTED (2021) | Ronald Hardcastle, born c. 1956, of Southney Close, Kirkby, Liverpool L31 1JR – downloaded dozens of indecent images showing bestiality and child sex abuse. Ronald Hardcastle. Picture: Liverpool Echo. Former police officer Hardcastle was caught with almost 300 images on his mobile phone depicting the depraved sexual abuse of children and animals. The 65-year-old married father admitted he had chosen the online user name of ‘Bad Uncle James’ “to attract other users who might have an interest in indecent images.” Hardcastle’s sordid behaviour came to light during investigations by the child exploitation unit of the National Crime Agency (NCA) into illegal activity on a Kik Messenger account. This led officers from Merseyside Police’s online child abuse team, armed with a search warrant, to his home in Kirkby on February 16, 2021. During the searches various electronic devices were seized. When his Samsung mobile phone was examined, a total of 275 indecent images – including 202 videos and 29 photographs of extreme porn – were found. Another 18 images were in the most serious category of child abuse, which includes rape, and 17 of them were videos. Hardcastle had worked for Merseyside Police for about 30 years and after retiring 11 years ago joined an agency supplying staff to police forces which resulted in him spending four years working as a civilian with Greater Manchester Police. For some of that time he worked with their child protection department “and had been responsible for categorising images of this sort.” The case prosecutor queried whether looking at the images in that role had distorted Hardcastle’s thinking or whether he had sought it because of a pre-existing interest. The job ended after he was involved in a serious accident which left him with broken bones and in hospital for some months. Hardcastle told how “he ended up on anti-depressants and became isolated from his ‘police family’ and became curious about that sort of material having worked in that area.” In interview Hardcastle said he was not aware possession of the bestiality material was an offence “and found it amusing rather than gratifying.” Hardcastle pleaded guilty to seven offences involving possessing and making indecent images of children; possessing extreme porn for and distribution, all in January and February 2021. Hardcastle said he was ashamed of his behaviour and denied having sexual interest in children. Hardcastle, who attended court on crutches and holding medication, was being supported by his wife and son, who both sat in the public gallery. Sentencing: 12 months’ imprisonment suspended for 18 months; four-month curfew; 10 days of rehabilitation activity; participation in a sex offenders programme. Given a ten-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order and ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register, also for ten years. Liverpool Echo