The 66-year-old is now attending Sex Addicts Anonymous after his ‘disgraceful and disturbing’ behaviour was revealed
The 66-year-old is now attending Sex Addicts Anonymous after his ‘disgraceful and disturbing’ behaviour was revealed
A pensioner’s vile crimes were discovered after police looked at the phone of a “high risk sex offender” 160 miles away. David Farrington was found to have taken a host of indecent images and shared them with fellow depraved paedophiles using messaging app Kik after officers followed a trail of evidence on the device.
This led to the revelation that he had downloaded more than 2,000 illegal pictures and videos and expressed perverted desires to sexually abuse young children. While he is now said to be “disgusted with his actions” and attending Sex Addicts Anonymous, a judge today labelled his behaviour “disgraceful and disturbing” as he was locked up.
Liverpool Crown Court heard this afternoon, Wednesday, that Durham Police’s public protection unit checked the mobile phone of an unnamed “high risk registered sex offender” in August 2023 and discovered he had been conversing with Farrington, of Grasmere Gardens in Crosby, via Kik. These depraved chats took place between November 27 and December 2 2022 and showed the men “discussing the sexual abuse of children”, including acts of rape.
Christopher Hopkins, prosecuting, described how the two users spoke of “what they could do together to abuse children” before the defendant sent a “non indecent” image of a child and remarked that he would “love to have a little feel of her”. The 66-year-old went on to disclose that he was “interested in pre-teen and younger” before sending three indecent images, including a picture of a naked six-year-old child and another showing a four-year-old being raped.
This evidence was then passed on to Merseyside Police, who executed a search warrant at Farrington’s home on August 5 2023. While he “denied that there would be any indecent material” on his electronics when interviewed, officers subsequent found that he had downloaded a total of 194 child abuse images in category A, those depicting the most serious forms of abuse, over the course of the previous five years using six seized devices, including 45 videos.
Farrington was further found to have collected 156 pictures and videos in category B, 1,061 in category C, 43 prohibited images of children and 3,201 extreme pornographic images showing sexual activity involving animals. The investigation also revealed a conversation in which he had sent a second Kik user eight indecent images between June 29 and August 8 2023.
Disturbingly, he was further found to have taken a total of 63 category C pictures of a primary school aged girl using his mobile phone. Olivia Beesley, defending, told the court: “He is a 66-year-old man with no previous convictions.
“The defence say that Mr Farrington is unusual in this sense. Where many defendants in cases such as this shy away from their offending, he has done the opposite of that. He has grasped the nettle already. He has made steps very much in the right direction towards his rehabilitation. That is what sets him apart, the defence say.
“Your honour will have read that he has always been in work. He has been very candid in his pre-sentence report. It is unusual for offences such as this. He even goes as far as to say that he does not blame external factors, that he has himself entirely to blame to this.
“He has taken steps in his own rehabilitation. He has engaged in a 10-week programme with the Lucy Faithfull Foundation. He has completed that course. The pre-sentence report notes that he shows a desire for self reflection and insight.
“He also attends Sex Addicts Anonymous on a weekly basis. He has undergone a podcast course, which he has paid for himself. He tells me he has that course on his phone and can go back to the notes when he needs to. There is also talking therapy, a six-week course. The defence submit that this shows not only remorse but a desire to change. Quite frankly, he is disgusted with his actions.”
Farrington admitted taking indecent images of children, five counts of distributing indecent images, possession of indecent images, three charges of making indecent images and possession of extreme pornographic images. Wearing a green jumper over a checked shirt in the dock and sporting short grey hair, he was jailed for three-and-a-half years.
Sentencing, Recorder Mark Cooper said: “In my judgement, it is right to describe the contents of the devices seized by the police as disgraceful and disturbing. I cannot ignore the age and vulnerability of the children depicted in the images.
“I bear in mind the lengthy period of possession, over five years. In total, there were over 2,000 images and videos across all the categories. The images that you shared will now be distributed across the internet by paedophiles from all across the world.
“Ms Beesley has said all that she can say. You are a man with no previous convictions. You are of previous good character. I am pleased to hear that you have completed various courses. That is to your credit.
“It does show a desire to change your behaviour. My hope is that you will continue with those courses and never return to these activities in the future. I accept that there is a prospect of rehabilitation.”
Farrington was also handed an indefinite sexual harm prevention order. He will be required to sign the sex offenders’ register for life.
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