SUSPICION was cast upon 23 innocent people by a man’s denial that he downloaded indecent images of children, recovered from computer devices at his home address, a court heard.

The hard drive and desktop were seized by police who visited David Goldbourn’s home, in Birtley, near Chester-le-Street, at 7am on February 26, last year.

Durham Crown Court heard that 153 offending images were found on the devices, but were initially inaccessible, as they had been deleted.

The internet history showed they were accessed in the 13 months prior to December, 2016.

Four of the images, involving girls aged eight to 11, were in the most serious category.

Mr Baker said Goldbourn was interviewed twice and denied accessing or searching for these type of images .
He produced a list of 23 people who had access to the devices, including his three sons and their friends.

“Police investigated those on the list and statements were taken from witnesses, none of whom had involvement in accessing them,” said Mr Baker.
Goldbourn, 36, of Lansbury Drive, denied three counts of making indecent photographs of a child, but, at the start of his scheduled trial, last week, he changed his pleas to ‘guilty’.
John Wilkinson, mitigating, told the sentencing hearing that since he finally made his admissions, last week, Goldbourn has been, “commendably frank” with the Probation Service.

But, Recorder Euan Duff, intervened: “It’s a pity he wasn’t as frank with the police, earlier.”
Mr Wilkinson said it has had a “knock on effect” on the defendant’s relationship with his sons, although Goldbourn was “fortunate” his current partner remains supportive.

“He’s in work and has no previous convictions and is assessed as a ‘low risk’ of re-offending.
“In fact, I would venture to suggest he’ll never find himself in this position again.”

Recorder Duff told Goldbourn: “At the eleventh hour you had the good sense to plead ‘guilty’.
“You have to understand, every time these images are viewed, the more children in some part of the world are abused.”

He imposed a 26-week prison sentence, suspended for two years, with 20 rehabilitation activity days overseen by the Probation Service.

Goldbourn, who was also ordered to pay £3,500 costs, due to his late pleas, will be subject to restrictions as part of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, for five years, and must register as a sex offender for ten years.