Police discovered that a sex offender had been sharing indecent images of children on WhatsApp – and keeping quiet that he had three devices that needed to be registered, Hull Crown Court heard. Connor Temple, 28, of Whitehope Close, Bransholme, Hull, but recently in custody on remand, admitted distributing indecent images of children between November 7 and 11, 2024 and three offences of breaching a sexual harm prevention order on July 16 this year.
Natalie Dean, prosecuting, said that police received information that Temple had indecent images of children and his devices were seized. A mobile phone was found with 10 videos or images on it, including four in the most serious Category A, five in Category B and one in Category C.
They had been distributed using WhatsApp. The three devices that he should have registered with the police were a computer tablet, a mobile phone and a PlayStation.
“He had not registered them within the required time frame,” said Miss Dean. During police interview, Temple accepted that he had not done this. “He did not give a reason in interview,” said Miss Dean.
On January 14 last year, Temple was given a one-year suspended prison sentence, 80 hours’ unpaid work and 30 days’ rehabilitation. He had, that day, admitted three offences of making indecent images of children and another of possessing extreme pornography on August 10, 2022.
He had been given a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and had to register as a sex offender for 10 years. “There is a risk of very serious harm to children,” said Miss Dean.
Holly Thompson, mitigating, said that Temple had been in custody since July 17. “It’s a severe wake-up call for this defendant,” said Miss Thompson.
Temple had relapsed into a cocaine addiction, something that he had dealt with for a prolonged period of time, and he forgot to register the three devices. “He knows that he should have done better but it simply slipped his mind,” said Miss Thompson.
“There is no suggestion of any offences being committed on the devices or the phone. He has been very candid. His time in custody has allowed him to reflect.
“He has now come to an acceptance that it is something that he needs to work on. He has an interest in children.” He had, before being remanded in custody, been working as a chef in a Japanese restaurant and he had a trial for another chef job.
Temple was given 20 days’ rehabilitation and he must register as a sex offender for five years and pay a £114 victims’ surcharge. The devices seized will be forfeited.
At the previous hearing in January last year, the court was told that police found “disgusting and outrageous” images of vulnerable children aged as young as three or four after searching Temple’s mobile phones. The victims were clearly in “pain and distress” during the sickening abuse.
The offences came to light when police went to Temple’s home after receiving information about online activity and carried out a search. Two mobile phones were found and it was discovered that they had indecent images of children on them.
There were 49 images in the most serious Category A as well as 46 videos. There were also 35 images and four videos in Category B. Also found were 36 images in Category C.
The files depicted the abuse of very young children. The children shown in the images were aged as young as three and four. There was also an extreme image of bestiality, involving a woman and a dog.
Temple had been using specific search terms to find the indecent images of children. Temple originally denied that he was sharing those images but he later accepted that this was not true and he pleaded guilty.