Washington paedophile paid to watch abuse of Filipino children

Leslie Fletcher was sentenced for 13 offences

A 76-year-old man who paid to watch children be sexually abused in the Philippines has been jailed.

Leslie Fletcher, of Brancepeth Close, Washington, requested indecent photographs and videos of babies and children online.

Northumbria Police Det Con Rob Smoult said offenders such as Fletcher were "not welcome in our communities".

Fletcher was sentenced at Newcastle Crown Court on Monday to five years and nine months in prison.

Specialist officers from the force's Paedophile Online Investigation Team (Polit) became aware of Fletcher's crimes after Google and Microsoft flagged the sharing of indecent images.

When officers seized Fletcher's devices, they found receipts and records of calls with people abusing their children.

'No excuse'

Fletcher was charged and pleaded guilty to 14 charges.

These included three counts of making indecent images of children, three counts of arranging the commission of child sex offences, four counts of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and four counts of attempting to cause a child to engage in sexual activity.

Seven of the offences related to Fletcher arranging the abuse of children abroad.

Along with his prison sentence, Fletcher was issued with a sexual harm prevention order and ordered to sign the sex offenders register.

Det Con Smoult said the sentence "shows that offending like this will not be tolerated and that people like Fletcher are not welcome in our communities".

He said: "Fletcher knew he had no excuse and was left with no choice but to admit his guilt."