Pervert photographed men performing sex acts and urinating in toilets.

A 30-year-old man, Axel Savage, was sentenced to 20 months in prison, suspended for two years, after being convicted of voyeurism and possessing indecent images of children.

Savage was caught after police received intelligence that he was sharing vile images of children being sexually abused on Snapchat. A forensic examination of his electronic devices revealed the presence of indecent images, including nine sickening images of children, two of which were graded category A (the most severe category involving child rape).

In addition to the child abuse material, police also discovered 282 photos taken in a public toilet in Warrington. The photos, taken between January 30 and February 3, 2022, involved adult men urinating and performing sex acts on themselves in the toilet block.

Savage was interviewed by police in relation to both the indecent images and the voyeurism material, but he answered no comment to all questions put to him.

At his sentencing hearing, Judge David Swinnerton said, "Those who view such images rarely stop to think about that they represent. Each one reflects a child being abused. People like you that look at them perpetuate a market in them, such that people are encouraged to create such images, and encouraged to abuse children in the real world somewhere."

He added, "The court is not naïve as to what goes on in certain toilet blocks, but they are public toilets. Anyone could have gone in there, and ordinary members of the public are entitled to use the facility without fear of being photographed, despite what other people are doing in there."

Judge Swinnerton ultimately decided to suspend Savage's sentence, taking into account his lack of prior convictions and his positive character references. However, he emphasized that this was an unusual decision, as those who distribute child abuse material typically face immediate imprisonment.

In addition to the suspended sentence, Savage must also complete 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days, including the Horizon sex offence treatment programme, and 150 hours of unpaid work. He must also abide by the terms of a sexual harm prevention order and sign the sex offender register, both for a period of 10 years.