TONY HULME FROM BARROW SENTENCED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY OFFENSES IN PRESTON

In a recent court case held at Preston Crown Court, Tony Hulme, a resident of Lesh Lane in Barrow, was found guilty of possessing and distributing indecent images of children. The charges stemmed from activities that took place between September 16, 2021, and September 29, 2022. Hulme pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent photographs of a child and four counts of distributing such images, highlighting the severity of his actions.

Prosecutor Timothy Ashmole provided detailed evidence during the proceedings, revealing that Hulme was found to possess a significant collection of illicit images. Specifically, authorities discovered eight Category A images, which are considered the most severe, six Category B images, and 45 Category C images, which are less severe but still illegal. In addition to possession, Hulme was also found to have distributed one Category A image and ten Category C images, indicating active sharing of these harmful materials.

The investigation uncovered that Hulme used two Motorola mobile phones to facilitate his activities. These devices contained various chat applications, including Kik and Snapchat, which he used to distribute the illicit images. During police interviews, Hulme claimed that he received images sent by others but denied deriving any sexual pleasure from viewing or sharing them, a statement that the court considered in its sentencing.

It was also noted that Hulme has a prior criminal history; he served a six-year prison sentence in 2015 after pleading guilty to a rape charge. This history underscores the ongoing risk he poses to the community.

In sentencing, His Honour Judge Medland sentenced Hulme to 20 months in prison, though this sentence was suspended for two years. The judge remarked that this case was unusual because of the relatively low number of images involved, contrasting it with cases where individuals possess thousands of such images. The judge also acknowledged Hulme’s apparent remorse and understanding of the wrongfulness of his actions, suggesting that with appropriate intervention, future offending could be prevented.

Furthermore, Hulme was subjected to a comprehensive set of restrictions and requirements. He was ordered to adhere to a sexual harm prevention order for ten years, undertake 200 hours of unpaid community service, and complete 30 days of RAR (Resettlement and Rehabilitation) programs. Additionally, Hulme remains on the sex offenders register indefinitely, a measure that was put in place following his previous rape conviction, emphasizing the ongoing concern for public safety.