RUSSELL LIDDELL FROM NORTH SHIELDS CAUGHT WITH DISTRESSING CHILD INDECENT IMAGES AT NEWCASTLE CROWN COURT

In April 2022, a disturbing case involving a resident of North Shields, Russell Liddell, came to light when he was found in possession of highly disturbing indecent images depicting children in states of pain and distress. Despite previous convictions, Liddell’s latest offense has reignited serious concerns about his ongoing criminal behavior.

Russell Liddell, aged 53 and residing on Glendower Avenue in North Shields, appeared before Newcastle Crown Court to face charges related to the possession of indecent images of children. The court proceedings revealed that Liddell had previously been convicted in 2011 for similar offenses, which resulted in a community order. However, his recent actions demonstrated a troubling pattern of behavior that authorities found deeply alarming.

The case was brought to light after police officers executed a search warrant at Liddell’s home on April 8, 2020. During the raid, law enforcement officials seized various electronic devices, including an SD card, multiple flash drives, and a hard drive. A thorough examination of these devices uncovered a significant collection of illegal material, including 17 images classified as Category A, 10 as Category B, and a staggering 1,227 as Category C. These images depicted children as young as three years old, with some videos explicitly showing children in pain and distress, which added to the severity of the offense.

Neil Pallister, the prosecutor, detailed the findings to the court, emphasizing the disturbing nature of the material. He explained that the images and videos found on Liddell’s devices portrayed children between the ages of three and sixteen, with some of the content explicitly showing them in states of suffering. The court was also informed that in 2011, Liddell had been given a three-year community order after authorities discovered a mobile phone on a bus that contained indecent images. The phone was traced back to him, leading to a search of his home and the recovery of 4,236 indecent images at that time.

At the sentencing hearing, Recorder Ian Mullarkey described Liddell’s behavior as indicative of an “entrenched sexual interest in children.” The court sentenced him to 16 months in prison, though this sentence was suspended for two years. As part of his rehabilitation, Liddell was ordered to complete 55 days of structured activity aimed at addressing his behavior and was subjected to a four-month electronic curfew. Additionally, he was mandated to participate in a sex offender treatment program and was placed under a 15-year sexual harm prevention order. Furthermore, Liddell will remain on the sex offender register for a decade, underscoring the seriousness with which the court viewed his offenses and the ongoing risk he poses to the community.