A Bradford man has been jailed for three years and 10 months after an online child abuse investigation uncovered more than 87,000 indecent images and videos of children on his electronic devices.
Richard Pooley, 60, of North Dean Avenue, was sentenced at Bradford Crown Court on Thursday, 20 August, after being convicted of multiple sexual offences.
Pooley was convicted of three counts of making an indecent photograph of a child, possession of a prohibited image of a child and possession of an extreme pornographic image involving an animal.
His convictions also included observing a person doing a private act and operating equipment beneath another person’s clothing without consent.
West Yorkshire Police said the investigation began in October 2024 when officers received intelligence that indecent images of children had been uploaded to the internet.
Enquiries by the Bradford District Online Child Abuse Investigation Team subsequently identified Pooley.
He was arrested and his electronic devices were seized, allowing specialist officers to examine the material stored on them.
Police said investigators discovered more than 87,000 images and videos during the examination.
The investigation went beyond material Pooley had obtained online. According to police, officers also discovered images and videos that he had obtained by using various “spy cameras” to secretly film children.
PC William Metcalf, from the Bradford District Online Child Abuse Investigation Team, said the scale and nature of the material made the investigation particularly serious.
“This is one of the worst cases of indecent images of children I have ever seen in my career,” he said.
“Pooley is a dangerous online sexual predator who had the most disturbing child abuse material in his possession.”
PC Metcalf emphasised that indecent images depict real abuse and exploitation, adding: “In every picture there is a victim of child abuse.”
He said West Yorkshire Police remained committed to protecting victims of child abuse and bringing offenders to justice.
Bradford Crown Court sentenced Pooley to three years and 10 months in prison.
In addition to the custodial sentence, Pooley was ordered to register as a sex offender for life.
He was also made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order lasting 10 years.
