Man Jailed For Downloading Indecent Images Of Children

A 27-year-old man has been jailed for two years after police raided his home and found indecent images of children and banned weapons.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) launched an investigation into Ikram Shah after Border Force officers at Coventry International Postal hub found a parcel containing around 300 pepper sprays, which had been sent from China.

When NCA investigators raided Shah’s house in Bordesley Green in 2013 they seized a computer and Blackberry mobile phone. Forensic analysis showed that Shah had downloaded indecent images and videos from the dark web.

Around 40 pictures were found on a memory card on his Blackberry, all involving young girls aged between four and nine years old.

Internet searches showed that Shah was advertising the pepper sprays, which where disguised as disposable cigarette lighters and key rings, for sale using online auction sites.

Shah admitted charges of possessing and importing prohibited weapons, but initially denied downloading indecent images, claiming unnamed associates had accessed his computer and phone.

However on the first day of his trial at Birmingham Crown Court he changed his plea to guilty.

Dawn Cartwright, from the NCA's Border Policing Command, said: "Our investigation identified that Shah was using the internet for despicable purposes – firstly using the dark web to download horrific child abuse images involving very young children.

"But he was also brazenly selling dangerous weapons disguised as innocuous items like lipsticks and cigarette lighters on the open internet.

"He will remain on the sex offenders register for seven years."

(MH/CD)