TV comedian avoids prison over indecent images of children

A comedian who appeared connected Channel 4's 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown has been sentenced aft being recovered with much than 35,000 indecent images of children.

Christopher Binns - besides known arsenic Tom - created the infirmary vigor DJ quality Ivan Brackenbury.

Binns had admitted 5 counts of making and 1 of possessing indecent images of children.

He was fixed a combined 10-month sentence, suspended for 15 months.

The 53-year-old was besides made the taxable of a intersexual harm prevention order, and ordered to motion the enactment offenders register, some for 10 years, astatine Derby Crown Court connected Thursday.

Binns was champion known for 2 creations, Ivan Brackenbury and Ian D Montfort, a psychic.

Brackenbury was the cardinal quality successful Hospital People, which had a six-part tally connected BBC One successful 2017, and Ian D Montfort had a BBC Radio 2 bid successful 2013.

Lauren Fisher, prosecuting, said each the images were downloaded betwixt 26 March and 21 November 2020.

She said: "Between October 14 and 15 2020 the National Crime Agency received accusation that the idiosyncratic of [the defendant's email] had uploaded aggregate class C indecent images of children."

A warrant was executed astatine Binns's code successful Calow, Chesterfield, and helium was arrested, with 39 devices seized including a MacBook Air, MacBook Pro and an iPad.

Ms Fisher said: "During the investigation, it was established that a 3rd enactment of Mr Binns's spouse had been asked to merchantability respective devices connected behalf of Mr Binns.

"Those devices were besides checked."

Ms Fisher said 104 class A indecent images - the astir superior - were found, on with 411 successful class B and 34,946 successful class C.

She added 3 prohibited images were found, on with "multiple" class B and C moving images.

However, the tribunal heard immoderate of the images whitethorn person been duplicates.

Matthew Hayes, mitigating, said Binns had not committed immoderate different offences since, and referenced the interaction of prescribed medicine his lawsuit was taking astatine the time.

Judge Shaun Smith KC said Binns's offending was "simply unacceptable", but deemed helium does not airs a hazard to the public, and is improbable to re-offend.

He said: "You are sickened by what it was that you were downloading and looking astatine and, rather frankly, you don't request maine to archer you that you should be, due to the fact that this benignant of offending has existent victims.

"It is close to accidental that had it not been for Covid, had it not been for the medicine you were taking astatine that play of time, you would not beryllium earlier the court, but the information is that you are.

"You person returned to the law-abiding beingness that you were surviving earlier these offences."