Phillip Gibb

A 66-year-old man from Shildon has been jailed after being caught with child abuse images while already subject to a suspended sentence for similar offences.

Phillip Gibb, of Auckland Terrace, Shildon, County Durham, appeared before Durham Crown Court after police made a routine visit to his home last month and examined a laptop computer. The device was found to contain two still images classed in category A, the most serious bracket for such material, featuring the sexual abuse of children aged between five and nine.

Gibb had previously admitted child sexual abuse images charges in November last year and received a 20-month sentence, suspended for two years. He was also made subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) to restrict and monitor his online activities for ten years. Prosecuting, Michael Cahill told the court that Gibb was arrested and made no comment to police questions.

Judge Richard Clews noted that Gibb had completed 100 hours of unpaid work and attended almost all supervision sessions with the Probation Service as part of the suspended sentence order. The judge rejected Gibb's claim that the images were accessed out of "curiosity" and not for sexual gratification, stating: "The fact he has done so, again, suggests that account was not true."

Gibb, who was unrepresented, apologised to the court, saying: "I deeply regret my actions, that's all I can say." He explained his actions by stating: "I have a great sense of curiosity, and this was an aberration that came at a time when I was under stress."

Judge Clews activated 12 months of the original suspended sentence and added a further six months for the latest SHPO breach, resulting in an 18-month custodial sentence. The SHPO was left in place until November 2035, and Gibb was made subject to registration as a sex offender for a further ten years.