Whitby man jailed after police in Australia uncovered 'sickening images' of child abuse

Nathan Peter Smith, 29, of Helredale Road, was jailed by York Crown Court last week after pleading guilty to three counts of possessing indecent images of children and one count of distributing indecent images of children.

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Smith was arrested by North Yorkshire Police after being alerted by officers in South Australia who arrested an Australian man on suspicion of distributing images of child abuse.

During their investigation, Australian officers discovered images Smith had sent the Australian along with an 89-page online chat of the pair discussing how they would like to abuse children in real life.

The officers in Australia alerted the UK authorities via the National Crime Agency’s Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP).

Officers seized Smith‘s computer and mobile phones and discovered over 300 images of child abuse, including 59 photographs and three videos graded at category A – the most severe – 56 photographs and one video at category B and 211 images graded at category C .

Detective Constable Graeme Boast of North Yorkshire Police’s Online Abuse and Exploitation Investigation Team, said: “Behind every image is a child who has suffered unimaginable abuse and by sharing such images, paedophiles are fuelling the demand for these abhorrent crimes.

"This sentence sends a clear message that you can’t hide behind technology and no matter where in the world you choose to share your sickening images, you will be found out and brought to justice.

“Clearly Smith has not learned from his previous jail term for similar offences and this latest sentence demonstrates how seriously the court viewed his offending.”

Smith was also issued with a sexual harm prevention order until further order.