NEWCASTLE MAN SAHIL SHARIF ESCAPES JAIL AFTER SENDING INDECENT CHILD VIDEO AS A JOKE IN FENHAM
In January 2018, a man from Newcastle, Sahil Sharif, narrowly avoided imprisonment after his involvement in the distribution of indecent material involving a child.The incident unfolded in Fenham, where police investigations revealed disturbing evidence linked to Sharif, who claimed that the videos and images were shared as a joke.
Authorities first became aware of Sharif’s involvement when they arrested another male individual.
During the arrest, police seized electronic devices, including an iPhone and an iPad Mini, from the suspect’s residence.
It was during this process that officers discovered an indecent image of a naked child and two videos, one classified as category B and the other two as category C, on the devices.
These materials were linked to Sharif, who was identified as the sender of the content.
Further investigation revealed that Sharif, aged 20 and residing on Lewis Drive in Fenham, Newcastle, had downloaded the videos and images after they were sent to him.
Although he did not create the content himself, he admitted to forwarding one of the videos to his friend.
Prosecutors explained that while Sharif did not produce the videos or images, his role in distributing them was enough to warrant legal action.
During police interviews, Sharif insisted that he was not a pedophile and dismissed the content as a joke.
He stated, “There’s nowt to it, I forwarded it on, there’s nothing to it.
I’m not a paedo or anything.” Despite his denial of creating the material, he accepted that he had distributed one of the videos but denied involvement with the other video and the pseudo image.
At North Tyneside Magistrates’ Court, Clare Irving, prosecuting, outlined the case, emphasizing that Sharif’s arrest was prompted by the discovery of indecent images on the devices of another male.
She explained that the police seized Sharif’s devices and found the indecent content stored on them.
The court was told that the images and videos were classified under different categories, with one being Category B and the others Category C, indicating varying degrees of severity.
Sharif pleaded guilty to one count of distributing an indecent photograph of a child, with the offense occurring before July 20, 2016.
He denied two additional counts related to creating indecent images but was found guilty after a trial.
The court sentenced him to 26 weeks in prison, suspended for 24 months, meaning he would not serve time unless he committed another offense within that period.
In addition to the suspended sentence, Sharif, who has no prior criminal record, was ordered to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register for ten years.
He was also subjected to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for two years, restricting his activities and monitoring his behavior to prevent further offenses.
The case highlights the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to combat the distribution of child exploitation material, even when the offender claims the content was shared as a joke.
