Harrogate man who downloaded thousands of indecent images of children told police he was "trying to trap another paedophile"

David Michael Rochford, 35, was arrested after police searched his home in Harrogate and seized several computer devices, York Crown Court heard.

Rochford told officers they would find indecent images on the devices but later claimed he had downloaded them to “lure” someone he believed to be a paedophile and that he had not viewed the illicit material, said prosecutor Brooke Morrison.

He maintained this pretence until he was sentenced today (November 18) for downloading more than 9,600 indecent images over a five-year period.

Some of the images, which included videos as well as photos, were rated Category A – the worst kind of such material involving the serious sexual abuse of children.

Ms Morrison said that Rochford, of Poplar Grove, told police he was “accessing (the images) because he wanted to trap somebody else who was a paedophile”.

Rochford told a probation officer the same thing after he admitted the offences, but the prosecution never accepted his audacious claim due to the length of time he had been downloading the material and the sheer number of images involved.

When Rochford appeared for sentence today, his barrister Daniel Ingham said his client was still “standing by” his dubious claim as to why the images were found on his computer.

But after Recorder Simon Jackson KC advised Rochford that he should reconsider his claim and confer with his counsel during a short adjournment, Mr Ingham said that Rochford now resiled from his far-fetched story and was prepared to be sentenced on the full facts as set out by the prosecution.

Rochford had already admitted three counts of making indecent images, including 147 rated Category A.

In total, he downloaded 9,631 illicit images between 2014 and 2019.

The Crown moved straight to sentence and duly dismissed Rochford’s initial claim that he was engaging in a “scheme of entrapment”.

Ms Morrison said that police swooped on Rochford’s home in June 2019.

They seized a “large number” of devices including three laptops, a computer tower, hard drives and memory cards.

They found indecent images on seven of the devices, forensic analysis of which showed that Rochford had used “peer-to-peer” software as part of his nefarious online activities and there were file names “that relate to eight-year-old children”.

“He was interviewed and admitted having the material (but) said this was in order to lure a person he suspected of being a paedophile,” said Ms Morrison.

She said that Rochford had four previous convictions including for violence but nothing of a sexual nature.

Mr Ingham, for Rochford, said his client was a full-time carer for his mother, who was seriously ill and with whom he lived.

She said he had a past alcohol problem for which he was getting help and mental-health problems.

Recorder Mr Jackson KC said Rochford had initially admitted the offences “on the false premise that this was to trap another paedophile”.

He said the sheer number of images and the years-long period of offending showed there was “plainly a sustained pattern of downloading sexual images for your own sexual gratification”.

However, he said he had to bear in mind the delay in the case reaching court and Rochford’s caring responsibilities for his mother.

He said it was for those reasons that he could suspend the inevitable jail term.

Rochford was given an 18-month suspended jail sentence and placed on the sex-offenders’ register for 10 years.

He was also slapped with a 10-year sexual-harm prevention order, mainly to curb his internet activities, and ordered to take part in a sex-offenders’ programme, complete a 20-day rehabilitation course and carry out 40 hours of unpaid work.