WILLIAM FISHER BANNED FROM COMPUTERS IN BELFAST AFTER CHILD ABUSE IMAGE SCANDAL

In January 2012, a man from Belfast was sentenced to serve eight months in prison after admitting to the possession and download of nearly 10,000 indecent images depicting child abuse, including scenes involving bestiality. William Fisher, aged 22 and residing on Tates Avenue in Belfast, faced serious charges related to the possession of these illegal materials. In addition to his prison sentence, he was subjected to a five-year Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO), which imposed strict restrictions on his future conduct.

The case against Fisher was built upon evidence collected by police during a raid at his residence in May 2010. Authorities seized two computers from his home, which upon analysis revealed a disturbing collection of illicit images. The court was informed that investigators uncovered a total of 8,052 photographs across various categories, ranging from less severe to highly extreme content. Among these were 18 images depicting bestiality and 339 video files, including 21 movies specifically related to bestiality scenes.

During police interviews following his arrest, Fisher admitted to actively downloading these images. His initial method involved using a file-sharing website, but he later moved on to seek out and download content from websites dedicated solely to the exploitation of children. His guilty plea covered 30 charges of possessing indecent images of children, along with two additional counts of possessing extreme pornography, with the offenses spanning from June 2008 to April 2010.

The court heard that Fisher, a father of one, claimed his actions were driven by curiosity. His defense lawyer explained that Fisher initially sought images of teenage girls in their late teens but acknowledged that his curiosity eventually extended to more extreme and illegal material. The lawyer also highlighted the personal consequences Fisher faced following the charges. Since his arrest and the subsequent public revelation of his crimes, Fisher had been dismissed from his employment with Charles Hurst, and his daughter had been placed on the social services child protection register.

As part of the conditions attached to his SOPO, the judge prohibited Fisher from owning or accessing any computer without monitoring software installed. He was also barred from having unsupervised contact with children and from working in any capacity involving children. Furthermore, Fisher was ordered to register as a sex offender with the police, ensuring ongoing monitoring of his activities to prevent further harm.