Leeds pensioner with history of sex attacks on boys expects he will die in jail
A PENSIONER from Leeds with a string of previous convictions for sex attacks on boys has been jailed for five years after admitting possessing and distributing indecent images of children.
Leeds Crown Court heard 72-year-old Dennis Cocking, of Thornhill Court, Thornhill Road, Upper Wortley, suffered a heart attack in December and does not believe he will survive the prison sentence.
Prosecutor, Martin Robertshaw, said police executed a search warrant at Cocking’s home on June 22 last year.
Police found a mobile phone, sim cards and data storage devices containing indecent images of boys as young as eight.
A total of 116 images and videos were in the most serious category A, 122 images and videos were category B and 258 were category C.
He admitted possessing and distributing indecent images of children and breaching a sexual offences prevention order.
In 1988 he was jailed for eight years for sex offences against a boy under 14 and in 1995 he was jailed for six years for indecent assault on a boy under 16.
In November 2012 after he was jailed for 16 months following conviction for possessing indecent images
Mitigating, Marcus Waite said: “He admitted to police that he had been downloading images and also sharing some with like-minded individuals.”
Mr Waite added: “The defendant is not well. He believes he will not survive his prison sentence.” Jailing Cocking for five years, Judge Geoffrey Marson QC, said: “It is a sad fact that when you are at liberty you will continue to offend.”