Northamptonshire 'porn addict' put on sex offender register after being caught with vile images

A porn addict has been put on the sex offender register after police found him with dozens of vile images.

James Littleton, of Furnace Lane in Finedon, was arrested in 2020 after officers received intelligence that a social media account linked to him was being used in relation to indecent images.

A forensic examination of his devices found one category A indecent image of a child and 80 prohibited images – the legal term for files such as computer-generated images or cartoons – of a child.

On Wednesday (June 21) the 35-year-old was spared from prison after a judge heard he was voluntarily having counselling.

Northampton Crown Court heard police visited Littleton’s address on July 26, 2020, and arrested him.

Littleton initially indicated that he didn’t know where his phone was but it was found, switched off, in a sock drawer. The court heard his wife gave police the PIN code.

Prosecuting, Alice Aubrey-Fletcher said: "The defendant was not up front with officers."

Littleton, who had no previous convictions, gave no comment answers when interviewed by police but later admitted both charges facing him.

The court heard he was trying to use Kik to access more pornography.

Ms Aubrey-Fletcher added: "The defendant accepts that he was addicted to viewing porn."

A pre-sentence report had recommended that Littleton was sentenced to a community order and little mitigation was offered on his behalf by his barrister.

Her Honour Judge Rebecca Crane sentenced Littleton to an 18-month community order with rehabilitation activities.

He will be on sex offender register for five years and subject to a sexual harm prevention order for five years.