A company director who watched child pornography on his laptop has walked free after claiming he had been ''lonely'' due to his Russian girlfriend being refused a visa to live in Britain.
Julius Drumer, 53, was arrested after detectives seized the device following a police operation and found it contained a graphic 18 minute video of two young girls having sexual relations with each other.
The businessman, who was a director for various media, nightclub and restaurant businesses, later said he watched pornography because the woman he had been dating for 16 years was not able to move to the UK.
He claimed he had only resorted to watching child pornography as the adult variety was 'not shocking enough for him'.
At Manchester Magistrates' Court, Drumer, of Fallowfield, pleaded guilty to making an indecent image of a child of the most serious category but was given a six month sentence, suspended for two years.
Prosecutors had said possession of the image classed as Category A was so serious they asked the case to be sent before a judge at crown court where Drumer could have been faced up to three years.
The arrest took place in September last year after his address was flagged up to a team of police officers investigating the distribution of child pornography.
Prosecuting Miss Rachael Yarwood said: “Officers entered the property and conducted a search.
“He wasn’t at the property at the time, but he did later voluntarily hand over his laptop. When this was investigated, they found one category A image of children aged between 13 and 15.
"He was arrested and made full admissions in interview. He doesn’t have any previous convictions but, due to this being a category A image, I would say it was appropriate to go to Crown Court for sentencing.
“The video is of two girls performing a sex act on each other. It lasts about 18 minutes.”
Drumer’s defence lawyer, Laura Beaumanis, said: “He pleaded guilty at the very first opportunity. He gave frank admissions in interview and he has expressed remorse.
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“He was at work at the time with the laptop and, when the police contacted him, he arranged to meet them at the car park at his work. He passed it on to them, knowing that there would be something criminal on it.
“He couldn’t have co-operated more with the police. What he tells me is that he was extremely isolated and lonely. His partner is Russian and she has been denied a Visa here, and she now resides in Spain because he didn’t have sufficient money to support her.
“So, she couldn’t come to this country and see him – this is his partner of 16 years. They had described starting a family together and a life, and this was a blow to him.
“He was struggling to sleep. He was drinking and smoking marijuana – but he doesn’t see that as an excuse for what he did.
“He was regularly watching adult pornography and he was not getting much shock from it, so he started watching child pornography. It wasn’t all child pornography he was looking at, it was just the one.
“He was previously in employment but, when he handed over the laptop, he concluded his work. He told his family, who were shocked, and he told his partner, who remains supportive.
“He has stopped drinking and smoking – he has effectively gone cold turkey. If you do feel like you can deal with this matter, there is work that he can do in the community – that would be more beneficial than a short, sharp period in custody.
“However, I would invite you to send it to the crown court rather then send him into immediate custody today.”
Drumer was also issued with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for five years. He was additionally placed on the Sex Offenders Register for seven years and made to pay £195 in court costs.
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