IPSWICH LORRY DRIVER TOM HADFIELD JAILED FOR POSSESSING OVER 400 INDECENT IMAGES OF CHILDREN
An Ipswich lorry driver who had more than 400 indecent images of children on his mobile phone and laptop computer as well as extreme pornographic material involving animals has been given a suspended prison sentence.Sentencing 40-year-old Tom Hadfield, Judge Nicola Talbot-Hadley said the children in the images were aged between two and ten, but mainly between four and six.
She said that Hadfield, who was found guilty by a jury of downloading the images, had sought to lay the blame for them on his ex-wife who he accused trying to make life difficult for him.
"These images are made involving real children who have been abused for the benefit of those who wish to view that material," said the judge.
Judge Talbot-Hadley said Suffolk police seized Hadfield’s mobile phone and two laptop computers after receiving information from the National Crime Agency.
She said that Hadfield continued to deny responsibility for the images on his devices which she said had occurred at a sad time in his life around the break-up of his marriage.
Hadfield had denied making 37 indecent images in the most serious level A category, 14 images in category B, 360 in the lowest level C category and possessing 19 extreme pornographic images involving animals, but was convicted by a jury after a trial.
He was given an 18 month prison sentence suspended for two years, 150 hours unpaid work, a 20 day rehabilitation activity requirement and a 26 session generic programme requirement.
He was also made the subject of a five year sexual harm prevention order and ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register for ten years.
The court heard that people who know Hadfield described him in references as kind and decent and the probation service had assessed him as being at low risk of reoffending.
