Nigel Coxon, 55, was identified by National Crime Agency investigators as having logged into Zoom in August 2017 to view pre-recorded abuse material.
Coxon entered a break out room where another user was streaming category A and B (the most severe) indecent images and videos of children, involving the abuse of boys and girls aged three to fifteen.
Coxon made several comments indicating a sexual interest in young girls.
On October 23, 2017, NCA officers arrested him at his home on Somerset Road and seized his cellphone. This was discovered to have evidence that the Zoom application had been downloaded but then deleted.
There was also evidence that Coxon used a website that checked public facing IP addresses to ensure that his had been anonymised before accessing Zoom.
He denied ever using Zoom and claimed that his home Wi-Fi network had been hacked when questioned.Coxon made several comments indicating a sexual interest in
He did admit to having a sexual interest in girls under the age of ten.
Coxon was charged with four counts of making category A and B indecent images of children and was convicted on 7 March this year at Leeds Nightingale Court after a six-day trial. At Leeds Crown Court today, he was sentenced to 30 months in prison and was given a ten-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order. In addition, he will be placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely.
Nigel Coxon took significant steps in an attempt to remain anonymous and cover up his criminality,” said NCA operations manager Neil Baxter. He also made cynical claims about being hacked, but our investigators were able to show beyond a shadow of a doubt that it was Coxon who was viewing this material on Zoom and telling complete strangers about his sexual interest in young girls.”