Sunderland man who distributed sickening child abuse images 'fell down rabbit hole', court told

David Craddock’s fall from grace could see him jailed after magistrates said his offending was so serious, he could only be sentenced by a crown court judge.

Craddock, 57, of Bear Park Close, Shiney Row, was also placed on the sex offenders register after he pleaded guilty to a string of child image offences.

At South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court, he admitted three charges of making an indecent photo or pseudo-photo of a child.

He also pleaded guilty to two counts of distributing an indecent photo or pseudo-photo of a child and a single charge of possessing an extreme pornographic image of animal intercourse.

The making indecent images charges relate to three at the most serious category A, one at category B and nine at category C.

The distributing charges relate to one category A image and three category C.

All offences were committed in the Houghton area between May 14 and June 25, 2021.

Prosecutor Anne Mitchell said: “These are serious matters involving children and both moving and still images.”

Serena Varatharajah, defending, said: “I concede that this does cross the custody threshold and might require more than your powers.

“He’s 57 years old and has no previous convictions.

"The offences took place during the pandemic and lockdown.

“They are out of character. He’s fallen down a rabbit hole. He’s addressing his problems.”

Magistrates ordered a report into Craddock’s offending and told him he will be sentenced at Newcastle Crown Court on Tuesday, March 7.

Gary Cracknell, chair of the bench, told him: “These offences are so serious that the magistrates’ bench can’t deal with them, so they must go to the crown court.”

Craddock was told he must attend a police station within three days of his court hearing to provide a range of personal details.