Lincolnshire lorry driver jailed after admitting distributing indecent images of children

A Lincolnshire lorry driver who admitted distributing indecent images of children has been jailed for two years.

Hedley Heddison, 54, was caught after the police became aware of sexualised conversations he had shared with another man on WhatsApp.

Investigations showed Heddison had distributed 30 indecent images of children in the most serious category, Lincoln Crown Court heard.

These included images of children as young as two years of age being raped, and an eight-year-old child being bound with tape, the court was told.

Other images distributed by Heddison included photographs of babies, the court heard.

Heddison was arrested at a ferry port in Scotland during January 2023 after police placed a marker on his lorry.

During interview Heddison accepted having the material but claimed he gained pleasure not from the images but from sending it to the other WhatsApp user.

Heddison, of Eight Row, Eagle Moor, pleaded guilty to three charges of making indecent images of children, three charges of distributing indecent images of children, one charge of possessing 13 extreme images and one charge of publishing extreme material.

In total Heddison admitted making 92 images in the most serious category of A, making 86 category B images and 123 category C images.

He admitted distributing 30 category A images, distributing 28 category B images and distributing 39 category C images.

Tom Heath, mitigating for Heddison, acknowledged he found himself in a perilous position but argued a suspended sentence in the community would help his rehabilitation.

"He is 54 and indicated most of his guilty pleas in magistrates court," Mr Heath told the court.

"There has been no new offending and he has taken steps with professional help to address matters."

"He accepts there is something wrong with him and his interests," Mr Heath added.

"There is a stigma that will long outlast this case."

Passing sentence Judge Simon Hirst said there was mitigation in that Heddison had sought help

"However the distribution of images of children aged two, and children bound and in distress means only custody is appropriate in this case," Judge Hirst added.