Vile Wakefield pervert took his own abuse photos and shared image online for paedophiles to download

Matthew Cordall was caught after police received intelligence in February last year that an image of a child had been uploaded to a website, which led officers to his home address, Leeds Crown Court heard.

Prosecutor Soheil Khan said they found 22-year-old Cordall in his room and his devices were seized, including an iPhone. Following forensic testing, they found two illegal photos that had been taken on the iPhone. They were assessed as being category B and C. The category B image involved him abusing the child.

They also found a tampered photo involving a male child and a prohibited image - a 65-second CGI video clip of a child being raped. Officers found he had been using MEGA file-hosting service to anonymously receive or send files. His internet search history also showed he had been seeking out abuse images.

Cordall, of Southmoor Road, Hemsworth, admitted assault by sexually touching a child, two counts of taking indecent photos, one of making an indecent image and one of possessing a prohibited image. He has no previous convictions.

Mitigating, Christopher Morton said Cordall “recognises the damage he has caused” and he had been “overwhelmed by guilt and shame”. He said that Cordall admitted he was sexually attracted to children and was a socially-isolated man who spent much of his time in his bedroom, although he does work full time.

Mr Morton added: “He is open and honest and does not seek to minimise the seriousness of his criminal conduct.”

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Judge Richard Mansell KC told Cordall: “You are clearly remorseful for what you have done. You have, unlike many, acknowledged a sexual attraction towards children and you need help to control or eliminate such feelings.”

He said he hoped that his abuse victim was too young to be aware of his actions. But rather than send him into custody, he said there were “better prospects at being rehabilitated” in the community. He gave him two years’ jail, suspended for two years, and ordered him to enrol on an accredited sex offenders programme and undertake 55 rehabilitation days.

He also put him on the sex offender register for 10 years and gave him a 10-year sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) to allow his internet use to be monitored.