Ex-Newcastle councillor had 1,000 images of child sex abuse

David Besag was downloading the images while he served on Newcastle City Council

A former councillor who had more than 1,000 indecent images of children as young as two has avoided a prison sentence.

David Besag downloaded images over an 18-year period including the six years he served on Newcastle City Council.

The 50-year-old, of Glenthorn Road, Jesmond, was sentenced to six months suspended for two years at Newcastle Crown Court on Friday.

His party, the Liberal Democrats, said its thoughts were with his victims.

Besag was a city councillor from 2004 to 2010, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Police uncovered 34 images and 23 videos of the most serious category A, 17 photos and 10 videos of category B, and 1,031 pictures and 39 videos of category C, after seizing Besag's laptop, phone, computer tower and hard drive.

The images involved children aged between two and 17 were downloaded between 2002 and 2020, the court heard.

There were also four prohibited images of a child and 200 extreme porn videos and five extreme porn pictures on Besag's devices, the latter involving animals.

Porn addict

The former Walkergate ward councillor admitted three counts of making indecent images of a child, one of possessing a prohibited image of a child, and one of possessing extreme porn.

Besag, who has no previous convictions, claimed he had only been downloading the material since 2012 and had no sexual interest in children, although he said he was addicted to adult pornography.

The court heard he also suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and dyspraxia.

A Newcastle Lib Dem spokesman said: "It goes without saying that if we had the slightest inkling of the criminal behaviour that has now come to light then he would never have been selected as a candidate or stayed as a party member.

"Our thoughts are with the children and families affected. He is no longer a member of the party."

Besag was made subject of a sexual harm prevention order for seven years and must sign the Sex Offenders' Register for the same period.