Female pedophile, 24, who had over 2,000 images of child porn avoids jail, allowed to live near primary schools
A female pedophile who claimed that the thousands of indecent images found on her computer were caused by a virus has been spared jail.
Jasmine Rowbottom, 24, was first arrested on June 6, 2016, after officers from the Online Child Exploitation Team executed a search warrant at her home in Dudley, West Midlands, and found 2,000 pornographic images, many of which included children and depicted extreme pornography, according to the West Midlands Police.
In the investigation that followed, the authorities examined over 50 pieces of computer equipment and found further evidence of child pornography, knowledge of which Rowbottom denied.
When questioned, she claimed she was innocent and that the images must have been caused by a virus on her computer or were from a USB stick that was given to her many years before.
However, specialist forensic examiners were able to prove that the 24-year-old's claims were false, and following a trial at the Wolverhampton Crown Court, she was found guilty of making indecent images and movies of children and possession of extreme pornography.
But despite the gravity of her offenses, Rowbottom was spared jail.
On Monday, October 7, she was given a 21-month prison sentence suspended for two years for her crimes. She was also given a two-year supervision order, was placed on the sexual harm prevention order for 10 years and the sex offenders register for 10 years.
Following her conviction, she was allowed to return to Mowbreck Caravan Park in Wesham, Preston, where she has been living for the past 12 months.
The Lancashire Post reported that Mowbreck Park is located less than a mile from two primary schools—St Joseph's Catholic Primary and Wesham C Of E Primary—and that local residents were shocked when they learned a convicted pedophile would be living so close to them.
"I have grandchildren who visit me and it's not right that a known pedophile is allowed to rent a caravan here," one retired resident said. "It's disgusting. She has been living here for about 12 months now, and we've had no warning from the park's management."
Our grandchildren could have been put at risk and nobody thought it appropriate to tell us about this woman and her history?" she continued. "There are two primary schools just a 10-minute walk down the road too. She should be behind bars, never mind living in a holiday park among pensioners and their grandchildren."