A man who downloaded nearly 200 indecent images of children was arrested at Manchester Airport as he attempted to board a flight to the Philippines.
David Halliburton, 59, of Lightfoot Drive, Carlisle, admitted making indecent images of children over a seven-year period. He was sentenced to eight months' imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, at Carlisle Crown Court.
The court heard that a friend found the images on Halliburton's laptop after he gave the machine away ahead of his move to South East Asia. The friend contacted police, leading to Halliburton's arrest at the departure gate.
The images, downloaded between 2011 and March this year, included category A material—the most serious kind—depicting boys as young as seven. Halliburton's lawyer argued his client did not gain sexual gratification from the images and that a suspended sentence would be more effective.
Recorder Julie Clemitson ordered Halliburton to complete rehabilitation, imposed a four-month night-time curfew, and placed him on the sex offenders' register. He is also subject to a sexual harm prevention order for ten years.
