By Daniel Wood
A 41-year-old bar manager who denied downloading indecent images of children has been found guilty of two offences.
Richard Tasker of Weymouth Avenue, Oakes, was charged with eight category C offences on 23 September 2019 and two Category B offences. Category A is the worst.
He pleaded not guilty to both charges at Kirklees Magistrates’ Court and claimed his computer was hacked but after a trial was found guilty.
West Yorkshire Police officers raided Tasker’s residence on September 23 and seized a laptop on which the offending material was found, according to Prosecutor, Lauren Hebditch.
The defendant admitted it was his laptop that was seized and that he was the only person who could access it.
He freely admitted using it to access Pornhub and described himself as a “pansexual male” – someone who is not limited in sexual choice with regard to biological sex, gender, or gender identity.
Mr Sampson asked him: “Have you any interest in child porn?” he replied: “Absolutely not, I have no interest in that kind of thing.”
Mr Sampson then asked him: “How did you feel about having child porn on your computer?”
Tasker replied: “Very uncomfortable and very stressful and very disgusted by it.”
Mr Sampson then questioned him about the morning of his arrest when the police said the images were downloaded over just a few minutes.
He said: “Can you recall what you were doing?”
The defendant replied: “I had just had a cigarette and was logged onto Pornhub.”
Mr Sampson pressed him: “Did you download anything at all, child porn?”
He replied: “Absolutely not.”
The defence that he was hacked was considered “implausible”, as only he had access to his computer.
Tasker was told he must sign the Sex Offenders Register as soon as possible at Huddersfield Police Station and he was told to present himself to Probation next month for a pre-sentence report.
He was released on conditional bail and told to reappear on Thursday, December 3, when sentencing would be discussed.
Afterwards, Ms Hebditch said the Crown would be asking on that date for the matter to be referred upwards to the Crown Court which has greater sentencing powers.