Software used by the police to monitor convicted sex offenders led to the discovery that a man living near Snodland was accessing thousands of illegal images of children.
Richard Faulkner was the subject of a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO), which prohibited him using any device capable of accessing the internet unless it had been installed with a web monitoring program. The SHPO had been made by the courts in January 2024, following previous convictions related to Faulkner and the access of indecent images.
Several months later, on 26 August, an alert was raised in connection to a computer Faulkner had registered with Kent Police. This showed he had again been accessing illegal material. He was arrested days later, and searches were carried out at his home near High Street, Wouldham. The computer along with several other devices not previously made available to police for inspection, which was another SHPO requirement, were seized.
During an initial police interview Faulkner denied any wrongdoing, claiming he no longer had any sexual interest in children. He insisted he had no knowledge of how illegal images would be on his computer. His lies were exposed when the device was later forensically examined, along with another hard drive.
Hundreds of thousands of illegal images were detected. These included more than 160 photos and videos in the most serious category, showing children suffering appalling abuse.
Faulkner, 70, pleaded guilty at Maidstone Crown Court to multiple counts relating to making indecent images of children, and for breaching the SHPO. He also admitted failing to comply with sex offender notification requirements, having not registered a number of bank and credit cards with police. On Tuesday 4 February 2025, Faulkner was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment. This included the activation of a previous suspended sentence.
Sergeant Steph Kirkin said:
‘Faulkner had been the subject of strict measures designed to reduce the risk of him reoffending.
‘He attempted to manipulate the monitoring software placed on his computer, in attempts to disguise the fact he was frequently seeking access to disturbing and harmful images, many of which include the horrific abuse of children.
‘Sexual harm prevention orders are passed by the courts to help protect children and as this case shows, we will do everything we can to ensure those who ignore them face the consequences of their actions.’