Child porn shame of school computer technician

Three officers from North Yorkshire Police spent four months sifting through six million images which were recovered from a hub of computers belonging to Oliver John Corbett.

They discovered that Corbett had more than 62,000 indecent images and videos of children.

The officers also managed to establish that none of the pupils from St Aidan's Church of England High School in Harrogate or Boroughbridge High School, where Corbett previously worked as a junior technician, were exploited in any way.

It was the largest single investigation carried out by North Yorkshire Police's Hi-Tech Crime Unit and revealed Corbett's "huge haul" of child pornography including images of children as young as three which, through his file-sharing system, could be seen by others.

He was also prosecuted for having explicit adult images involving animals.

York Crown Court heard yesterday officers seized 41 computers and hard-drives from Corbett's bedroom where he had a sophisticated set-up which he sometimes left on while he was out at work.

Corbett, 25, of Dishforth, near Thirsk, admitted 10 charges of making indecent photos of children, 11 of possessing indecent images and videos and one of possessing extreme pornographic images.

Jailing him, Recorder Euan Duff said they were serious offences, although the vast number of the images were level one, the lowest category, there were considerable numbers at the higher levels four and five.

He said: "It is acknowledged by you that these are not victimless offences, these are real children, photographed and video recorded being sexually abused."

Recorder Duff said that while the images might have been taken years ago, the fact they were continuing to be distributed added to the victim's torment.

Corbett was made the subject of a sexual offences prevention order and told to register his details indefinitely as a sex offender.

Simon Ostler, prosecuting, said police searched Corbett's home after tracing him through his internet service provider after information from the Metropolitan Police.

After his computers were examined 62,779 indecent images were found including 1,586 video images.

Steven Crossley, for Corbett, said he was a "rather isolated young man" who had never formed a relationship and was sexually immature.

After the offences came to light he had gone missing when "the awfulness of his offending had caught up with him".

In a desperate and distressed state, he lived in his car for around a month and was "in such a parlous medical state he required resuscitation" when found.

Since then, he had begun counselling and had told a probation officer he was sickened by what he had done. No photos had been taken at the schools where he worked and his family is standing by him.

After the case, Sgt Geoff Crocker said: "Corbett was an IT expert, the schools were presented with a clean cut and very talented young man with no previous convictions or history.

"The equipment set-up contained within his bedroom would put many professional IT systems to shame. But despite his technical ability, his sickening activity was discovered by the police and a lengthy investigation pursued.

"Today's outcome sends a clear message to others who perpetuate child abuse, there is no hiding place, no matter how sophisticated your set-up or how you try to hide your tracks, you will be discovered and the police and criminal justice partners will do everything they can to bring you to justice."