Paedophile jailed for 1,700 indecent images cache

Robert Norman was a "complete danger to children", police said

A paedophile found with more than 1,700 indecent images on his phone has been jailed for 10 years.

Robert Norman, of Drybread Road, Whittlesey, was caught in January 2024 after information led Cambridgeshire Police to seize his phones and a hard drive.

The 41-year-old was also found to have been passing on the details of a girl he thought was aged 10 to other potential offenders.

He admitted a series of sexual offences at Cambridge Crown Court and was sentenced on Friday.

They were three counts of both making indecent images of children and of breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

Norman also admitted further offences of breaching notification requirements and attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.

'Dangerous offender'

Police said he had 1,716 indecent images on the seized devices, as well as evidence he was "speaking sexually" to a girl he thought was 10.

Officers said he was the subject of a SHPO imposed in 2015 following a conviction for having indecent images of children.

He had not informed officers about one of his mobile phones being capable of accessing the internet, with the device hidden under a pillowcase.

The defendant also used the internet to speak with the girl and deleted the web history from all devices, police said.

In addition, he failed to inform officers of new online usernames.

Det Con Claire Cummings said: "Norman is a very dangerous, prolific offender.

"He is a complete danger to children as well as the wider community and he has complete disregard for the law."