Paedophiles shared child abuse pics and fantasies together online.

Two Cornwall men, David Podmore (44) and Mitchell Franklin (76), have been sentenced for sharing child abuse images and discussing their disturbing fantasies.

Both men appeared at Truro Crown Court, having previously pleaded guilty to charges of making, distributing, and possessing indecent images of children, as well as possessing extreme pornography. Podmore also admitted to attempting to engage in sexual communications with a child.

The court heard that in December 2019, police received intelligence that Franklin had uploaded a child abuse image to Facebook. A subsequent search of his home revealed multiple devices containing indecent images of children. Further investigations in 2021 led to the discovery of more child abuse material on two USB devices, including chat logs between Franklin and other individuals, including Podmore.

These chat logs revealed that Franklin and Podmore discussed their sexual interest in children and even the possibility of engaging in sexual acts with each other. Podmore was also found to have shared child abuse images with others. His attempt to engage in sexual communication with a child involved sending pictures of his penis and suggesting a sexual encounter with someone he believed to be a young girl.

During mitigation, both defendants were described as being of good character and remorseful for their actions. Judge Simon Carr, in delivering the sentence, acknowledged the seriousness of the offenses, stating that they "have all the hallmarks of a serious epidemic of people consuming legal pornography and then moving into other areas." He emphasized the abhorrent nature of the crimes and the devastating impact of child abuse, stating that "this business exists because of people like you who view images of children being raped and abused. Around the world tens of thousands of children are being raped. They are raped because of people like you who feed the industry."

While recognizing the mitigating factors, Judge Carr ultimately determined that the best course of action was to address the defendants' perversions through treatment. Both Podmore and Franklin were given 18-month prison sentences, suspended for two years. They will also be required to complete rehabilitation programs and will be subject to a sexual harm prevention order.