A judge has told a Burnley man to have a “long hard think” about why he was watching “depraved and disgusting” pornographic videos involving animals.
Declan Jones, 29, of Caenarvon Avenue, appeared before Preston Crown Court charged with one count of possessing extreme pornographic images portraying an act of intercourse or oral sex with a living or dead animal.
The charge relates to March 31, 2025, when Lancashire Police identified the defendant’s phone as being linked to an Instagram account suspected of distributing images.
After attending his address, officers seized the defendant’s phones and, following a digital forensic examination, identified nine videos and seven images involving dogs, which were linked to the defendant’s Snapchat account.
Judge Paul Hodgkinson said: “There were scenes of a sexual nature between females and animals. I am not going to go into any more detail; you know what you watched and need a long hard think about why you watch those videos.”
Tom Lord, mitigating, said Jones had formed a meaningful relationship prior to the offence, unlike many offenders convicted of similar crimes.
Mr Lord said: “For offenders like this, ordinarily, isolation and a lack of meaningful relationships with peer groups or members of the opposite sex can lead to a descent into the readily available world of extreme pornography.
“He understands that this persistent lapse in judgement has caught up with him."
He added: “It isn’t self-pity, but he has to pay the price for these disgusting and depraved offences.”
A pre-sentence report prepared by the probation service recommended that rehabilitation programmes would be more appropriate than a custodial sentence.
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Judge Hodgkinson added: “Do I send you to prison? You couldn’t argue if I did. Or do I force you to engage with the probation service?
“Despite a lack of admission, the probation service thinks they can work with you and I have to think of the public.
“Thinking of them, are they better served with you going to prison or being taught how to think straight?
“I have been persuaded by your barrister that the second course of action is appropriate and you will not be sent to prison today.”
Jones was sentenced to 10 months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years.
He was also ordered to attend the Building Choices programme.
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