Man jailed after police find 87,000 indecent images of children on devices

A Bradford man has been jailed after police uncovered more than 87,000 indecent images and videos of children on his devices, including material obtained using secret cameras.

In October 2024, police received intelligence that indecent images of children had been uploaded onto the internet.

Enquiries carried out by the Online Child Abuse Investigation Team identified Richard Pooley, 60 from Bradford.

Pooley was arrested and his devices were seized by police.

Following an examination of the devices, officers discovered more than 87,000 images and videos.

Police said the material included images and videos Pooley had obtained by using various "spy cameras" to secretly film children.

Pooley was subsequently convicted of a number of offences, including three counts of making an indecent photograph of a child, possession of a prohibited image of a child, possession of an extreme pornographic image with an animal, observing a person doing a private act and operating equipment beneath the clothing of another without consent.

On Thursday (Aug 20), Pooley was sentenced at Bradford Crown Court to three years and 10 months in prison.

He was also made subject to the Sex Offenders Register for life and given a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

PC William Metcalf from the Bradford Districts Online Child Abuse Investigation Team said: “This is one of the worst cases of indecent images of children I have ever seen in my career.

“Pooley is a dangerous online sexual predator who had the most disturbing child abuse material in his possession.

“In every picture there is a victim of child abuse. We are committed as a force to protect victims of child abuse and will do everything we can to get justice for them.”