Monday 9 January 2012

Million-Image Paedo Dodges Jail


A paedophile, caught with over one million sickening images of children – the largest-ever haul seized by the Metropolitan Police – has dodged jail with a suspended sentence today.

Robert James Barrow, 57, from Plaistow, East London was investigated by the Paedophile Unit, who raided his home.

Acting Detective Chief Inspector Noel McHugh said: “The seizure of images from Barrow is the largest ever seen by my unit in relation to one individual.

“His activities were on an industrial scale. To put his collection in perspective, it would take three hundred and forty seven days to view the entire collection - allowing 30 seconds per image with no breaks.



“Possession of indecent images of children is not a victimless crime as each image possessed or distributed represents a child that has been sexually abused in order that the image can exist.

“The circulation of those images around the internet magnifies that abuse.”



The photographs found in Barrow’s possession included some deemed to be of the most serious nature; those categorised as being Level 5.



He is understood to have amassed the collection from a range of sources over a period of 15 years.

Detectives believe he used the pictures for his own gratification as well as sharing them with other like-minded individuals.



He was arrested after admitting to officers that he had images stored on his PC before they had even looked at his machine. 



Barrow pleaded guilty at Southwark Crown Court (pictured) to making indecent photographs on or before August 13, 2010, namely 245,513 stills and 84 movies.

He also admitted possessing to show or distribute indecent photos, namely 160,000 stills.

Barrow was sentenced to twelve months, suspended for two years, ordered to sign the sex offenders register for ten years, made subject to a Sexual Offenders Prevention Order and a three-month curfew.

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