A recently retired school caretaker's unhealthy sexual interest in children was discovered when his successor tidied out the cleaning cupboard.
Colin Holman, 67, of Warren Avenue, Knutsford, was convicted of two offences of possessing indecent images of children following a trial at Warrington Magistrates' Court on Friday, 17th May 2024.
He was sentenced by District Judge Jack McGarva at Crewe Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, 19th June 2024.
Possessing indecent photographs of children is an offence under section 1 of the Protection of Children Act 1978. The maximum penalty is 26 weeks' custody on summary conviction; 10 years' custody on conviction on indictment.
During the trial it emerged that Holman had accumulated photographs of girl former pupils, which he had salvaged from discarded wall displays.
These were kept secure in a cupboard, to which only he had access, along with a stash of adult pornographic images and DVDs.
The images had been laminated, presumably to protect them from damage.
The seedy caretaker also had a collection of girls' clothing, which he claimed to have retrieved from waste bins around the site.
The offences arose from two images found in the cupboard when Holman's successor went to tidy it out: a nude image of a pre-pubescent boy aged around 10-years-old; and a waist down nude image of a girl aged around 13-years-old wearing items of school uniform.
A subsequent search of Holman's home address revealed further images of girl former pupils and press cuttings about sexual offences.
Holman admitted possessing the image of the 10-year-old boy, which he said he had found blowing around the school car park and had intended to burn.
He denied all knowledge of the image of the 13-year-old girl.
The court rejected his explanation, noting that the offending images had been laminated in the same way as the others found in the locked cupboard.
Holman worked at the unnamed Cheshire primary school for 16 years before retiring on the grounds of ill health in early 2022. There is no suggestion that either of the indecent images were taken by Holman or relate to former pupils of the school.
District Judge McGarva, having considered the facts and relevant sentencing guideline, was of the view that Holman's offences were serious enough to merit a community order.
He was handed a 2-year community order with the requirement that he completes up to 30 days' rehabilitation activity.
As a punitive element he was fined £160.
Holman was also ordered to pay £645 towards prosecution costs and £114 surcharge.
He was made subject to the notification requirements of the sex offenders register for a period of 5 years.
DJ McGarva considered it unnecessary to make Holman subject to a sexual harm prevention order.
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