Gareth Francis Owen

A 22-year-old man from Hartlepool has been sentenced to an indefinite jail term after admitting to serious sexual offences involving child abuse material. Gareth Francis Owen appeared at Teesside Crown Court, where details of his disturbing online activities were laid bare.

The court heard that Owen had pleaded guilty to 17 counts of making indecent images of children, one count of possessing such images, and one count of possessing extreme pornography. Recorder Jonathan Sandiford, presiding over the case, described Owen as someone who 'despised children and was preoccupied by sex'. The judge noted that Owen was 'almost entirely involved in a world of bizarre sexual fantasies where he struggles to recognise what is normal and what is not', and that he 'mixes with similar people online'.

In addition to these charges, Owen admitted to writing pornographic stories featuring Pokemon characters, highlighting the extent of his preoccupation with sexual fantasies. His defence, represented by Nigel Hedley, portrayed Owen as a 'loner' who had faced lifelong difficulties in interacting with others of his age and older. At the time of sentencing, Owen was already serving a five-month sentence for causing unnecessary suffering to his Labrador, an unrelated animal cruelty offence.

As part of the sentencing, Owen was banned from working with children and will be required to sign the Sex Offenders' Register upon release. He will also be subject to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order to restrict his activities and protect the public. The case was heard at Teesside Crown Court, with proceedings reported by the BBC based on court records from HM Courts Service.