Cambridgeshire man watched bestiality porn and made indecent images of children


A Cambridgeshire man has been handed a suspended prison sentence after he admitted to possessing bestiality porn and making indecent images of children.
James Lancefield, of Station Street, Chatteris, made almost 300 indecent images of children and possessed more than 100 images of bestiality porn.
The 34-year-old committed the offences in 2016 and 2017 and a warrant was executed at the defendant’s home address after reports of suspicious behaviour.
In October 2017, computing equipment including a laptop and external hard drive were seized and forensically examined.
When he was first interviewed, Lancefield denied that the indecent images of children and bestiality porn were his, claiming someone must have hacked into his computer.
Further investigations found no spyware on his devices and Lancefield’s search history revealed various bookmarks he had saved and websites he had viewed.
Lancefield had also been looking into the law around possessing this type of material and had read articles about other people who had been caught committing similar crimes.
Today (July 11), at Peterborough Crown Court, Judge Lowe said: “It was clear Mr Lancefield knew what he was looking for.”
He added Lancefield was “fully aware of the law in the area and also some of the consequences.”
On his devices, various indecent images were found including 13 Category A images – the most serious type of images.
Three category B images and 257 category C images were also discovered.
While Lancefield produced and possessed indecent images of children, he did not produce the original images.
He also possessed 104 extreme pornographic images of humans having sex with animals, namely dogs and horses.
Lancefield did not enter a plea when he first appeared in Magistrates’ Court.
Today, Lancefield was sentenced to six months in prison, with a suspension term of two years.
Judge Matthew Lowe laid out two requirements for this suspension. The first is that Lancefield completes a 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement and the second is that he attends the Horizon programme for internet sexual offenders.
Judge Matthew Lowe said: “I take the view that what you did was so serious that it can only be met with a prison sentence. But for reasons I’m about to set out I [will give you a] suspended prison sentence.”
Judge Matthew Lowe took into account that the majority of the indecent images of children were category C, that Lancefield was “socially isolated”, had no previous convictions, had not re-offended since being caught and that there were numerous delays in the investigation process to no fault of Lancefield.
He also took into account his guilty plea in May and accepted that no earlier indication was given in Magistrates’ Court because of concerns over his “intellectual functioning”.
Lancefield was given a concurrent sentence as the judge said the crimes were “of similar nature”.
Judge Lowe said: “Why am I suspending it? Well it seems to me this is a case where there is a real prospect of rehabilitation.
“If over the next two years you commit further offence of any description or fail to comply – you’ll be breached, you’ll be back at this court before me and you should expect if that happens to go to prison for 6 months.
“If you comply with those requirements, if you keep yourself out of trouble then you’ll hear no more about this.
“I’m giving you an opportunity to address the underlying issues that cause you to offend in first palce.”
Lancefield has also been ordered to pay £300 in costs within six months and has been given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
Lancefield told the judge he was “very grateful” for his decision.