A mother would go a long way to support her child, even when they’ve done something wrong – but this mother took that loyalty to new levels when she openly defended her son as he walked free from court, despite him pleading guilty to downloading child abuse images.
According to UK newspaper the Liverpool Echo, dad-of-one Damien Renshaw, 34, was supported by his parents and sister as he appeared at Liverpool Crown Court to be sentenced for three counts of creating (downloading) hundreds of child sex abuse images.
He reportedly pleaded guilty to the charges at an earlier hearing, and the court heard some of the images even showed children as young as three months old.
Standing with her son outside court, Kate Renshaw is said to have told reporters: “He won’t be the first and he won’t be the last.”
The publication reports Renshaw’s defence team blamed the breakdown of his marriage and his alleged alcohol addiction for him seeking “solace in the internet”. The court reportedly heard that he downloaded a total of 235 child sex abuse images, including 12 videos, before storing them on his tablet and USB.
Of those images, the news outlet reports 62 were the most serious category A images – showing kids aged between six and 12 months old.
Read more: Australia to see ‘toughest crackdown on paedophiles’ in 25 years
“It [drinking] worsened when he moved into a flat on his own. Sometimes he needed a lunchtime drink just to get him through the day,” prosecutor Paul Blasbery is said to have told the court. “He was lonely and would turn to the internet. He began to use chat rooms and was, in his own words ‘stumbling’ into images of children.”
However, Kevin Batch, defending, told Judge Flewitt QC that Renshaw had the support of his family, and handed over a character reference from his mother. Renshaw had also sought “talking therapy” and help from his doctor.
The judge reportedly told the court: “The striking part of this case is the extremely young age of many of the children. Some of them are so young their ages are counted in months – not even years.”
Renshaw won’t face any jail time for the horrific crimes, but was ordered to complete a community order of three years. The publication reports he will have to attend a rehabilitation activity for thirty days, a sex offender treatment program and undergo 120 hours of unpaid community service.
He will also be subject of a sexual harm prevention order for five years, while his tablet and USB will be destroyed.
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