CHESTER-LE-STREET MAN STEVEN JACKSON JAILED OVER CHILD PORNOGRAPHY DISCOVERED IN PELTON AND CHESTER-LE-STREET

In August 2013, Steven Jackson, a resident of Chester-Le-Street, was released from prison and was living in Pelton at the time. His case came to light after a series of disturbing events that highlighted his involvement in the possession and distribution of indecent images of children.

It all began in May 2013 when Jackson’s ex-partner raised concerns with the police after discovering suspicious activity on his electronic devices. The woman, whose identity remains confidential, became increasingly suspicious after receiving a message on Jackson’s phone during the early hours of Christmas Eve. The message was an advertisement for a flirting website, which prompted her to scrutinize his phone more closely.

Upon further investigation, she uncovered an email from an individual named ‘Chris’ that contained multiple indecent images of minors. This discovery prompted her to report her concerns to the authorities, leading to a police investigation. Officers seized Jackson’s phone along with a computer tower, both of which were subjected to forensic analysis. The results were alarming: the devices contained numerous indecent photographs of children, predominantly at lower levels of severity. However, investigators also found 48 images classified in the second most serious category, involving young girls as young as four and six years old.

Prosecutor Richard Bennett explained that Jackson was found to be in regular contact with others who shared similar interests, discussing the exchange of such illicit images. This pattern of communication indicated a disturbing network of individuals involved in the distribution of child pornography. Jackson was arrested two days after the initial discovery. During police interviews, he initially attempted to deny involvement, claiming that other people might have had access to his computer. However, he eventually admitted to participating in the email exchanges and possessing child pornography.

Defending Jackson, Tom Moran acknowledged his client’s honesty about his activities. He stated, “It’s difficult for someone like him to concede he has an interest in underage children.” Moran also emphasized that Jackson was not resentful towards his ex-partner for reporting him, believing she had done the right thing by alerting authorities.

Steven Jackson, aged 26 and residing in Southdowns, Chester-Le-Street, pleaded guilty to charges of downloading and possessing indecent images of children. The court, presided over by Judge Peter Kelson, sentenced him to six months in prison. Additionally, Jackson was subjected to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order, which restricts his future use of the internet, and was required to register as a sex offender for the next ten years, reflecting the seriousness of his offenses and the ongoing risk he poses to the community.