A horrified shop worker found a picture of a young boy being sexually abused on a phone which had been left behind by a pervert.
Dean Moore left his phone at a shop described as being "like a pawnbrokers" in October 2020 in order to secure a cash loan. When he didn't return for it, the shop took ownership of it and began deleting data but were shocked to find an image of a young boy being abused and police were called.
On that phone and another device, were 22 of the most serious, category A images, 44 category B and three category C. Then in 2022, police got a referral from the National Crime Agency about communication between Moore and an undercover operative online, in which the sexual abuse of children was discussed.
Read more: Throckley thug left husband and wife injured in Bigg Market violence after Newcastle match
Newcastle Crown Court heard Moore had "expressed a sexual interest in boys under 13 and said he had been trading pictures of a ten-year-old boy" carrying out a sex act. His house was searched and on a phone and cloud storage devices, they found 1,760 category A images, 885 category B images and 1,970 category C images.
One of the accounts contained indecent images of babies aged under six months being sexually abused.
Moore, 28, of Richmond Road, Tyne Dock, South Shields, who has four previous convictions, including for having indecent images in 2019, pleaded guilty to possessing indecent images and also possessing extreme pornography involving a dog. He was sentenced to three years in prison.
Fiona Lamb, prosecuting, said Moore previously worked for a company in Boldon Colliery making car parts and said he has the support of his parents.
Read more:
- Illegal immigrants jailed after Tyneside's biggest ever cannabis farm worth £1.65m found in Fenham
- Prudhoe OAP pushed to death helping friend left in 'living hell' by neighbour's kittens complaints
- Newcastle knifeman who threatened to kill family's dog and schoolboy's parents walks free
- 'Powerful' North Shields thug killed 'puny' victim with single punch when bad blood ended in tragedy
- 'Inhuman': North Shields couple jailed for a total of 50 years for trying to murder friend
