Paedophile found with more than 1,000 indecent images

A convicted paedophile has been jailed after more than 1,000 indecent images were discovered on his phone.

Andrew Brittain, 41, was given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and an 18-month community order after he pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images in February 2021.

As part of the SHPO, Brittain was closely monitored by dedicated officers and was prohibited from accessing the internet at home without notifying the police.

However, on 16 June last year, two officers paid an unannounced visit to Brittain’s then home in Stone Hill, St Neots, and found an indecent image of two children on his phone.

“It’s a mistake when you do it the first time, but when you do it for a second time, it’s no longer a mistake,” Brittain said to the officers.

His phone was immediately seized, and forensic digital tests revealed it contained 1,165 indecent images: 77 category A – the most severe, 298 category B and 790 category C.

During police interview, Brittain admitted he had been using a web browser typically associated with accessing the “dark web” and was in breach of this SHPO conditions.

On Thursday (August 17) at Peterborough Crown Court, Brittain, of Jackson Walk, Birmingham, pleaded guilty to three counts of making an indecent photograph of a child and breach of a SHPO.

He was handed a one-year prison sentence, given a SHPO for a further 10 years and was placed on the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years.

PC Ed Allison, who investigated, said: “Brittain poses a real danger to children, and we will do everything we can in our power to protect them from predators who think they can hide behind their devices.

“In addition to the sexual abuse, a child is victimised when an indecent image is taken and every time it is viewed or shared. Protecting young people from harm is one of our top priorities and we have specially trained officers who are there to support victims and bring offenders to justice.”