Paedophile who molested young boys 20 years ago downloaded abuse images in hospital
A paedophile who molested two young boys nearly 20 years ago downloaded “life-like” images depicting the abuse of children as young as three, a court has heard.
Inpatient Daniel Lowe told staff at a secure hospital in Rainworth, he had been accessing indecent images in November 2023, Matt Hayes, prosecuting, told Nottingham Crown Court.
A search of his devices revealed he still had access to 184 images, of the 576 in his cache, showing “very realistic drawings of children depicted in terrible positions.”
When he was interviewed he admitted being aroused by indecent images of children and described his sexual preference as “not being older than 13.”
“He understood he was breaking the law, admitted that his thoughts were wrong, and agreed he would be a risk to children,” Mr Hayes said.
The court heard Lowe was placed on an indefinite hospital order in 2005 after he was convicted of sexually assaulting two teenage boys.
Since then, Lowe, now aged 38, has been detained in secure hospitals and there are no plans to discharge him anytime soon, Mr Hayes added.
The court heard he has previous convictions for indecently exposing himself to children in 2002 and 2004.
He has been diagnosed with a sexual preference disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and an emotionally unstable personality disorder, said Benn Robinson, mitigating.
"He is also on the autistic spectrum,” he said. “It is a complex picture.”
On Thursday, Recorder Francesca Levett told Lowe: “They are not real children. but they are as close to real children as can be.
“You are sexually interested in children and you have no intention to stop. Experts have identified your risk of sexual offending is high.”
She said she wasn’t prepared to commission two further expert reports “to confirm what we already know,” and instead imposed a three-year conditional discharge.
She warned Lowe the hospital order will continue, but if he reoffends he will be resentenced and a prison sentence will be considered.
Lowe, who is already subject to he is already subject to a sexual harm prevention order, admitted possession of indecent pseudo-photographs of children at a previous hearing after initially denying the offence.