Brierfield grandad could be facing jail after downloading internet child porn

Kevin Hallett was found to have almost 200 indecent images of children on his laptop and phone- nearly 160 of them at the most serious level- after police raided his then home in Burnley.

He was questioned and owned up to watching videos of children as young as five for three years.

Hallett claimed his interest started after a pop-up when he was looking on an adult porn site, Burnley magistrates were told.

The 60-year-old possessed the images, say the prosecution, with a view to distribution and Hallett could now be facing a jail term when he appears at Burnley Crown Court in the New Year.

Mrs Tracy Yates, prosecuting, told the court police went to the defendant's home on Grasmere Street, Burnley, to execute a warrant on October 5th, 2016.

He made a " significant comment" to the officers and was arrested and taken to the police station.

His house was fully searched. Hallett was interviewed and said he had downloaded images onto his laptop.

Mrs Yates continued: " He denied doing this for sexual gratification, but expressed remorse for his actions. "

The prosecutor said Hallett's devices were examined and 188 indecent images, 152 of them at category A - the most serious level - were found on his laptop. On his mobile phone were eight indecent pictures, seven of them at category A.

Mrs Yates went on: " He said he didn't recognise some of these images.

"However, he accepted the quantities found on the devices and said nobody else was responsible."

The prosecutor sad: " He said the images were from five upwards, both boys and girls.

"He had searched for images of eight and above. He said he wasn't getting sexual gratification from watching the videos and just watched them out of curiosity."

Mrs Yates added: " He said he does have two grandchildren, but had not seen them for about two years. He fully admitted the offences in his interview."

The defendant, now of Vine Street, Brierfield, had no previous convictions. He was committed on bail to be sentenced at the crown court, on Thursday, January 3rd.

Hallett admitted three counts of making an indecent photograph of a child, involving images at category A, between September 25th and October 4th, 2016 and categories B and C on the same dates.

He also pleaded guilty to three allegations of possessing an indecent photo of a child, of all three categories, on October 5th, 2016.