Man lost job after accidental download of child abuse pic

Judge says it was an 'unfortunate incident'

- Sentinel Reporter

FORTY-NINE-YEAR-OLD Dominic Whittaker accidentally downloaded an indecent image of a child and an extreme pornographic image.

He confirmed to officers who attended his Newcastle home that he knew why they were there.

And at custody he told a counsellor he had accidentally downloaded the two files. Now a judge at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court has accepted Whittaker's account and sentenced him to a 12 month conditional discharge.

Prosecutor Syed Ahmed said in 2019 police identified that a user of an IP address was downloading indecent images. Officers attended the defendant's home on January 28, 2020.

Mr Ahmed said: "They were concerned. He knew why they had attended the address. He was arrested and taken to custody. He answered mainly no comment to questions in his police interview.