IT Manager Given Suspended Sentence for Child Abuse Image Possession

An individual convicted of paedophilia, found to possess numerous indecent images of children, some depicting victims as young as five, has received a suspended jail term. Don Leitch, an IT manager aged 54, engaged in the exchange of messages and discussions of fantasies with other paedophiles via online chat forums, according to proceedings at Newcastle Crown Court. Judge Advocate Edward Legard stated that “high vulnerable” children were “exploited or abused” to “purely feed the sexual gratification” of paedophiles such as Leitch. Leitch, who resides in Alnwick, Northumberland, received a 10-month prison sentence, which was suspended for a period of two years, following his admission to three charges of possessing indecent images of children. Additionally, he was ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid community service. Law enforcement officers discovered 65 photographs and videos classified in the most severe category, approximately 50 additional illegal images of children, and 400 so-called borderline pictures during a visit to his residence on 22 May 2023, as disclosed in court. These materials had been downloaded from October 2011 to May 2023 and depicted children ranging in age from five to 15 years old, the court was informed. Furthermore, hundreds of search terms associated with child abuse were located on his electronic devices, encompassing his search history and content from online chat forums. Leitch, residing at Merchants Gardens, had received a prior caution in 2008 for the possession of indecent images of children and also had a conviction for drink-driving, according to court testimony. During the mitigation phase, it was stated that Leitch expressed shame and genuine remorse, with his offenses attributed to periods of working away from home and experiencing loneliness and depression in hotels. Judge Legard commented that Leitch and similar paedophiles were accountable for “creating the market” for these “highly offensive and damaging” images, further noting that the lives of abused children were frequently “permanently scarred.” The judge informed Leitch directly: “These are not victimless crimes, far from it. “Those who appear in these images are often young, highly vulnerable children recruited from impoverished backgrounds who are then forced into performing degrading sexual acts or exploited or abused by others purely to feed the sexual gratification of people like you.” The judge indicated that Leitch’s immediate incarceration would be “merited,” but suggested that a suspended sentence would allow for more rehabilitation work to be undertaken with him, as opposed to a straightforward jail term of a relatively brief duration. Additionally, Leitch was made subject to a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and is required to register as a sex offender for a period of ten years. For updates, follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor, and Instagram. Story ideas can be submitted to northeastandcumbria@bbc.co.uk. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding our policy on external linking is available.