A judge told Leslie Botham his claims were “complete nonsense” as he let him walk free from court
Leslie Botham outside Liverpool Crown Court(Image: Liverpool Echo)
A judge has branded an 81-year-old man’s claims that he downloaded a vile collection of indecent images by accident as “complete nonsense”. Leslie Botham was also caught with a “paedophile manual”, a sickening document containing instructions on how to sexually abuse children, when police took a look at his hard drive.
The widower was said to have resorted to accessing such “abhorrent, dreadful and disgraceful” content online after “finding solace in the internet” following his wife’s death. But he has been spared an immediate prison sentence due to his old age and failing health.
Liverpool Crown Court heard yesterday afternoon, Friday, that Merseyside Police executed a search warrant at Botham’s home on Sandway Crescent in Norris Green on May 9 last year and seized two laptops, two phones and three external hard drives. Officers thereafter discovered a whole host of illegal content on both of the computers and one of the hard drives.
Sarah Holt, prosecuting, described how this included 1,157 indecent images in category A, those showing the most serious forms of abuse. A total of 899 of these were video clips, one of which showed a 12-month-old baby being sexually assaulted.
Botham was also found to have downloaded 730 category B images and 462 in category C, as well as 666 computer generated prohibited images of children and 149 extreme pornographic images showing adults engaging in sexual activity with horses and dogs. A further 25,329 images which were located on the devices were not looked at by officers, with Ms Holt adding: “A decision was taken, it seems, that the images which had been categorised were sufficient for the charges.”
Disturbingly, the pervert was also found to have saved files that apparently contained “directions on where to find children and practical steps on how to sexually touch them”.
Under interview, Botham told detectives that he “didn’t know what the material was when he downloaded it” and then “left it there”. He also “denied having a sexual interest in children” and “said it was curiosity”.
Carmel Wilde, defending, told the court: “Clearly, these offences are abhorrent. The defendant has shown some insight that, essentially, he is creating a market for children to be sexually abused.
“Given the defendant’s strong personal mitigation, particularly his elderly age and the fact that he has no previous convictions, I seek to persuade your honour that the court can conclude that there is a realistic prospect of rehabilitation. The court can step back from immediate custody and suspend this sentence.
“At 81 years of age, he has led a law abiding life until now. Your honour will have read about the unfortunate passing of his late wife. He was married for 53 years. He has adult children now and no friends. He describes that one was run over by a bus and one dropped dead.
“His daily lifestyle lacks social interaction. He has found solace in the internet and progressed to this dreadful, disgraceful offending. He was a man with a good work ethic. He worked in warehouses, in delivery jobs and making gearbox parts.
“Regrettably, his physical health has led to a life where he cannot walk very far. He has to continually use his inhaler. He has stable accommodation, a positive work history and medical difficulties. These are dreadful, disgusting offences which the defendant must learn from.”
Botham admitted possession of a paedophile manual, possession of indecent images of children, three counts of making indecent images, possession of prohibited images of children and possession of extreme pornographic images. Appearing in the dock wearing a grey fleece and sporting short grey hair, he was handed a 20-month imprisonment suspended for two years.
Sentencing, Judge Gary Woodhall said: “This was a large catalogue of material. These images involved children as young as 12 to 18 months old. Some of the images show children in distress. There are still, I am told, a further 25,000 images which have not been categorised.”
The judge added of Botham’s paedophile manual: “That, in and of itself, disproves your assertion that this was accidentally finding material which you downloaded and then sought to delete. You claim not to have known what the material was. I reject that assertion.
“You deny any sexual interest in children, claiming only curiosity. Again, I reject that. You do not accept meaningful responsibility for this offending, claiming that it was accidentally downloaded. That is complete nonsense.
“You clearly developed a habit of accessing pornographic websites after your wife passed away. Even if you cannot admit it to yourself, this offending was obviously motivated by sexual gratification.
“You have long been retired, having worked throughout your adult life. You now have COPD. Since the passing of your wife, you have lived an isolated lifestyle. There is mitigation to be found in your previous positive good character, your age and your health.”
Botham will also be required to complete a rehabilitation activity requirement of up to 30 days. He was handed a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and told to sign the sex offenders’ register for the next decade.