By Eric King And Lucy Caulkett-
Neighbours of a disgraced police constable spared jail after he was caught downloading depraved images of children have lamented the judgement in which he was spared jail and given a suspended sentence.
Leicester Crown Court heard that the dad-of-three Ross Coleman started viewing the files as a form of escapism after he found himself in financial difficulties. Coleman, 42 from Higham Ferrers, was spared jail after admitting viewing 80 sick videos and pictures, of which 45 were in the most depraved category. One of those videos involved a girl aged just four-years-old.
However, neighbours of the demented former officer are struck with disbelief that he was not jailed. One neighbour who insisted on anonymity told The Eye Of Media.Com:
”It is beyond belief that an officer who commits such an offence is allowed to be on the streets. One would think he would be locked up for good. He should not be allowed anywhere near kids”. Another neighbour said:
”what is the world coming to if police officers can be nonces (paedophile)? A suspended sentence is no good, they should have made an example of him . Are the courts losing the plot these days? You can’t teach an old dog new tricks, the wrong ‘un will do it again.
An NSPCC spokesman said: “As a special sergeant Coleman should have been relied upon to protect people and uphold the law.
“Instead, by downloading child sex abuse images and videos, he was fuelling a vile industry that preys on some of the most vulnerable people in society.
“To stop people like Coleman having access to this disgusting content is a massive challenge which requires tech companies to use all the resources at their disposal to remove it from their platforms and quickly identify the people responsible for putting it there.”
Leicester Crown Court heard the dad-of-three started viewing the files as a form of escapism after he found himself in financial difficulties.
The unemployed former delivery driver, who now lives with his parents after being kicked out by his partner, admitted that he was ashamed by his actions and had been to see a GP to tackle his “addiction” to looking at child sex images on his Smart TV.
Sentencing him to one year in prison suspended for 18 months, judge Rhona Campbell said: “These are crimes with victims. If people like you did not sit in your house watching this material there would not be any need for any poor little girls to be taken from their homes and be sexually exploited.
“They are because there is a market for people like you to watch this stuff.
“They are someone’s daughter…they are all lives that have been affected by this type of offending.”
Coleman must take part in 120 hours of unpaid work and 35 days of rehabilitation activities. His internet use will also be restricted.