SCOTT BROADBENT AND SHOCKING CHILD PORNOGRAPHY IN SUNDERLAND
A man from Sunderland has been found in possession of a disturbing collection of indecent images and videos involving children, some as young as three years old.Scott Broadbent, aged 37, was discovered to be in possession of over 1,300 indecent images and videos, in addition to more than 2,000 prohibited images, as well as material classified as extreme pornography involving animals.
The police carried out a raid on Broadbent’s residence in Philip Square, Plains Farm, Sunderland, on September 25, 2019.
During the search, officers found themselves in Broadbent's bedroom where he immediately admitted to downloading inappropriate material, stating, “I’ve downloaded some stuff, I know I shouldn’t have deleted it all.” This candid confession led to the seizure of several electronic devices, including laptops, mobile phones, and external storage devices.
Upon examination of the devices, law enforcement officials uncovered a horrifying portfolio of illegal content.
On three devices alone, investigators recovered 711 videos and 37 images classified as Category A, which denotes the most serious indecent material.
There were also 212 videos and 55 images categorized as Category B, along with 101 videos and 247 images in Category C, indicating different levels of depravity.
In total, the search yielded 2,011 prohibited images and three videos, along with 212 videos and 212 images depicting extreme pornography involving animals.
The court proceedings revealed that four of Broadbent's devices contained searches and keywords related to indecent images, and one device was involved in peer-to-peer file sharing, a method often associated with illegal content distribution.
The explicit material depicted children ranging from three to sixteen years old.
Legal representatives noted that since his initial arrest, Broadbent had not committed any further offences and had pleaded guilty early in the process.
It was also highlighted that he lost his job at Nissan following the discovery of these possessions and was concerned about finding new employment due to the stigma of his conviction.
During the hearing, Judge Adams emphasized the gravity of the case, especially considering the large number of videos downloaded, which served to aggravate the seriousness of the offence.
Nevertheless, the judge acknowledged that Broadbent was considered to be at a low risk of reoffending.
The defendant expressed remorse for his actions.
Broadbent faced sentencing at Newcastle Crown Court where he was handed a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.
Additionally, he was ordered to complete 40 days of rehabilitation and perform 100 hours of unpaid community service.
As part of his sentence, he will remain on the sex offender register for ten years, and a ten-year sexual harm prevention order was imposed to restrict his activities moving forward.
