Teenage Leeds paedophile warned by police later found with hundreds of sickening baby-abuse images
A teenager who was previously warned over allegations he was uploading child-abuse snaps has been caught in possession of nearly 400 images, many showing the cruel abuse of babies.
Warren Cordingley was previously approached by police and “given words of advice”, but it failed to deter the pervert.
Leeds Crown Court was told that acting on intelligence, officers went to the 19-year-old’s Leeds home, where he lives with his family, on May 6, 2022. He was only 16 at the time.
They seized a laptop and computer tower on which they found 132 indecent images of Category A - depicting the most serious abuse. They also found 89 in Category B and 154 in Category C.
Prosecutor Louise Pryke said many of the images were of babies up to the age of two. Others had been deleted and there were internet searches indicative in his sexual interest in children.
He was arrested and interviewed twice, denying involvement and even suggested other members of his family may have been responsible.
Cordingley, of Temple Green, Rothwell, later admitted three counts of making indecent images.
Ms Pryke then said he had been spoken to by police in 2020 that he had “maybe uploaded images of children” but no action was taken other than a talk from police.
Mitigating, Jeremy Barton pointed to Cordingley being a child when he committed the offences, and even said he could have been cautioned as a result.
He pointed to his “curiosity and immaturity” but said he now realised they were serious matters. He said Cordingley was hoping to “put the issue behind him and move on with his life”.
Judge Tahir Khan KC gave him a 12-month community order with 250 hours of unpaid work, complete an accredited 26-session programme, given 10 rehabilitation days to complete and was put on the sex offender register for five years.