Thornton dad had sickening 'folders' of indecent images of children

Nicholas John Kistner, 33, of Chesterfield Road, Blackpool, was arrested after police received intelligence indecent images had been downloaded or shared using an IP address on Rossendale Avenue, Thornton, via a social media account, linked to his e-mail address.

Preston Crown Court heard Kistner, who had been at work when officers first arrived, handed over a Samsung phone at the scene and provided some user names and IDs associated with an i-Pad.

Prosecuting, Mercedeh Jabbari said an examination revealed a dropbox account that contained a number of folders, which Kistner had given titles such as 'Kids', 'Teens' and 'Mummy and Me'.

Officers found 146 videos and images involving children ages two to 14, of which 20 videos and nine images were deemed category A - the most serious in law.

There were also 20 images and 10 videos deemed category B and 86 images and one video deemed category C.

Imposing 14 months, suspended for two years, Judge Sara Dodd said: " The images, particularly the category A videos, are very disturbing in this case.

"I find it very difficult to comprehend that the father of a young girl would even begin to look at these sorts of images.

"Your explanation quite frankly makes no sense to me as it makes no sense to the probation officer.

"Given the age of some of the children there must have been some pain and distress.

"I have to consider they are somebody's daughters and granddaughters that are being hurt."

She said the custody threshold was "well and truly crossed", but ruled a longer order with intense interventions from the probation service would better protect the public, as there would be few such measures in custody.

He was given 120 hours of unpaid work and a five year Sexual Harm Prevention Order, and must attend a sex offender treatment programme.