SHAUN BURROWS CAUGHT WITH CHILD PORNOGRAPHY IN ST HELENS: JUDGE WARNS INTERNET PAEDOPHILES

In a stark warning to online offenders, a judge emphasized that 'Big Brother is watching you' as a man from St Helens was found in possession of indecent images of children. The incident unfolded when Shaun Burrows, aged 40, was reported to authorities by his internet service provider after suspicious activity was detected on his account.

In March 2012, police executed a raid on Burrows' residence at the Brown Edge Hotel in St Helens. During the search, officers seized his computers and other electronic devices. Confronted with the evidence, Burrows immediately admitted to having viewed child pornography. He explained that he was attracted to boys in their late teens and that he had received images from individuals in chat rooms, most of which he claimed to have deleted. Despite his assertions, investigators managed to recover a total of 134 indecent images from his hard drives, highlighting the severity of the material found.

During the court proceedings, Robert Haygarth, representing Burrows, described his client as a “broken man,” emphasizing the personal toll the charges had taken on him. Haygarth stated, “It has cost him everything in his life. His relationship terminated with the charge. His job has now gone. He’s moved out of the area in order to be closer with his sister. In effect, he’s trying to start a new life.” He also noted that Burrows was previously of good character, attempting to paint a picture of a man who had fallen into this situation under difficult circumstances.

However, the presiding judge, Cement Goldstone, QC, was unpersuaded by these arguments. He responded, “Mr Haygarth has described you as a broken man. That may very well be the case. But you are an intelligent broken man and you know you are largely responsible for having become a broken man.” The judge then issued a stern warning to Burrows and others in similar situations, stating, “What you need to know and others need to know is that Big Brother is watching you and what you are accessing. They will be caught and anyone who thinks to the contrary is going to be proven wrong.”

As part of his sentence, Burrows was placed under a three-year community order that includes supervision and mandatory attendance at an internet sexual offenders program. Additionally, he was issued a sexual offences prevention order that prohibits him from possessing a computer capable of deleting his internet history, aiming to prevent future offenses and ensure ongoing monitoring of his online activity.