A paedophile who sent an indecent image of a child to others online in a “trade off” cried and continued to deny he was sexually attracted to children.
Jason Flaherty, 53, of Edward Street, Haydock, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court today after pleading guilty to six counts relating to indecent images of children and extreme pornography. He pleaded guilty to one count of making 50 category C images, making one category B image, making four category A images, and to possession of 57 indecent images of children.
Flaherty also pleaded guilty to distributing one category C indecent image of a child, and to possession of an extreme pornographic image involving bestiality. Iain Criddle, prosecuting, detailed that police received intelligence alerting them to chat between the defendant and other people, so a search warrant was executed on February 24 at Flaherty’s home.
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A mobile phone was seized and 57 indecent images of children were found, including one image of extreme bestiality involving an adult. Mr Criddle said: “A large quantity of indecent chat messages between him and other people were found.
“It did not disclose any offences but it did disclose that this defendant had indecent interest sexually in young children. “It is graphic fantasy and it is plain what he would want to do to young children, and what he said he had done to young children, but there was no basis of fact in that.
“It was in his imagination.” Mr Criddle detailed that one of the images involved a child aged two being abused, and others had children aged between nine and 12-years-old in them.
Throughout the hearing, Flaherty cried and shook his head. Mr Criddle said Flaherty had been sent the category C images through Whatsapp, in a “trade off between people of a similar interest”.
He had been sent other images of children in return. Mr Criddle told the court that other images had been sourced through Google Chrome, though no specific search terms had been found on the defendant’s phone.
Flaherty was arrested and answered no comment to all questions put to him in the interview. He has 23 previous convictions for 46 offences, but none of a sexual nature.
Mark Flynn, defending, accepted that his client maintains his denials of having a sexual attraction to children, and says the images found “arose out of boredom”. He also said that Flaherty maintains he gains no sexual gratification from making or distributing the images, and pointed out significant gaps in his previous offending.
Mr Flynn added that he had to accept that Flaherty had not been willing to cooperate with probation, so a custodial sentence was inevitable, but asked the Judge to bear the principle totality in mind. In sentencing, Judge David Potter said: “You have denied that you have any sexual interest in children.”
At this point, Flaherty interjected, stating: “I don’t.” Judge Potter continued: “I conclude that is manifestly untrue.
“I accept generally that there has been a significant reduction in your general offending, but you have not been willing to work with probation.” Again, Flahety interjected, and said: “I didn’t refuse.”
Judge Potter sentenced him to 45 weeks imprisonment, and ordered forfeiture and destruction of the mobile phone seized. Flaherty will be subject to notification requirements and a sexual harm prevention order for ten years.
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