Kettering man caught with more than 25,000 sick indecent images of children

A Kettering man has been warned he could be jailed after he was caught with more than 25,000 indecent images of children.

Karl Burt, 51, was arrested in 2019 after police received intelligence that he was in possession of the sick files.

Yesterday (Tuesday) at Northampton Crown Court he admitted possessing three category A images, which depict the most depraved child abuse.

His guilty plea means it can now be reported that in November, when he appeared before magistrates, he also pleaded guilty to two further charges.

Court records show Burt, of Avondale Road, admitted possessing 27,796 category C images.

He also also admitted making – the legal term for actions such as viewing, opening or downloading – 1,785 category C indecent photographs of children.

Mitigating, Liam Muir said Burt is a man of previous good character and made an application for a pre-sentence report to be prepared.

Burt’s sentencing was adjourned to March 31 and he will now have to sign the register for sex offenders.

His Honour Judge David Herbert KC told him: “I am not sentencing you today because there should be a pre-sentence report prepared by the probation service.

"Just because I am not sentencing you today does not mean it will not be an immediate custodial sentence. It may well be that and will very much be in the court’s mind.”

Punishments for indecent images offences range from community orders to time in prison, with judges taking into account where offences sit in the sentencing guidelines as well as aggravating and mitigating factors.