A man who sent inappropriate messages to female workmates was reported to police who found child sex videos on his phone. But Andrew Russell, who has "borderline, mild learning disabilities", was today spared jail.
Caernarfon Crown Court heard he had sent the messages to two female colleagues at a Gwynedd firm. He was warned to stop but continued.
He admitted two counts of possessing indecent photographs but a judge today said he could be rehabilitated. He gave the 37-year-old, of Heol Tegid, Bala, a nine-month jail term, suspended for 18 months, but he must do unpaid work, wear a tag and take courses.
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Prosecutor Elen Owen told the court that Russell had been working at the company for a short period last summer. He sent a colleague a message calling her "beautiful" and that he wished he was her partner and that he was "horny".
She told him the messages were unacceptable and he apologised. She warned he would lose his job if he persisted.
But soon afterwards Russell messaged to ask another colleague if she was single and was told she had been in a relationship for 22 years. He nevertheless sent an intimate message.
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Police were called in and went to his home. They couldn't find these messages on his phone but did find three indecent videos of children on it.
The court heard there was also an exchange with another man about his daughters, and their shared interest in child pornography. There was a further exchange with someone in the Seychelles about violent sex with children.
In a victim statement one woman said she struggles to trust people and is nervous about seeing the defendant again. Richard Edwards, defending, said his client is now understanding the impact of the messages on the recipients.
He had been accessing legal pornography. This became an addiction and escalated to encompass increasingly extreme content, he added.
But he had made contact with the Lucy Faithful Foundation to deal with his behaviour. He said Russell, whose mum died when he was 17, has also been referred to a disability service.
The judge His Honour Timothy Petts told Russell his offences have a wider impact as he had played his part in perpetuating the market for child sex abuse. But he noted a probation officer said he probably has "borderline, mild, learning disabilities" and is remorseful.
The judge gave the defendant a nine-month jail term and a three-month concurrent jail term, both suspended for 18 months, for two counts of possessing indecent images.
He must do a treatment programme, 45 sessions of rehabilitation activity and wear a tag during a three-month curfew between 7pm and 7am.
Russell had also admitted sending a malicious communication. For that offence he was given a 12-month community order with a requirement to do 100 hours of unpaid work.
He was further handed a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) and must keep to sex offender notification requirements - both for ten years.
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