Don’t watch explicit videos on commute home from work, says Northern Rail

Northern Trains which operates the Harrogate line has appealed to customers to stop watching explicit videos and making inappropriate jokes whilst travelling.

It has extended the strict ‘not suitable for work’ rule regarding the viewing of content to its trains and stations, after facing a problem with “a minority” of commuters.

This can range in scale from inappropriate jokes and bad language to offensive topics and explicit material.

The operator said:

“Whilst people are more likely to err on the side of caution at work, the rush to view content once they’ve left the workplace can mean the train journey home is often the first opportunity to take a look.”

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Northern said the internet in its stations and on-board the trains is delivered in partnership with ‘Friendly WiFi’ – a government-initiated safe certification standard for public WiFi.

Friendly WiFi aims to reassure users that the service meets minimum filtering standards – particularly in areas where children are present, such as on station platforms and on trains.

Tricia Williams, chief operating officer at Northern, said:

“We welcome millions of people into our stations and on board our trains every year – and access to safe and reliable internet is part and parcel of our customers’ expectations.

“It is important, however, that people remember that some content is not suitable for everyone to see or hear – particularly children.

“As such, if something is ‘not suitable for work’ it’s more than likely not suitable in our stations or on board our trains either – so please wait until you get home.”

Bev Smith, director of Friendly WiFi, said:

“We are excited to be working with Northern as a ‘Friendly WiFi’ certified train operator.

“They were passionate throughout the process to achieve the standard to ensure a great experience online for all their customers whilst travelling with them.”

In 2010 Harrogate was dubbed Britain’s “porn capital” by the tabloid press after an analysis of residents’ internet use for the BBC2 show The Virtual Revolution.

Police officer avoids jail after downloading 8,000 indecent images of children

A North Yorkshire Police officer who downloaded more than 8,000 indecent images of children has avoided a prison sentence.

Christopher Groom, 41, of Main Street, Claxton, trawled the internet for images of youngsters using search terms such as ‘naked young teens’ and ‘youngest naked models’, Leeds Magistrates Court heard today.

Among the photos downloaded by Groom were sexual images of children between eight and 14-years-old, said prosecutor Charles Macrae.

Groom, who has since resigned from the force, was arrested after police from North Yorkshire’s online abuse team searched his home on December 16, 2021. They seized a computer tower and a mobile phone and took the devices away for analysis.

Groom was brought in for questioning and gave a prepared statement but denied he had been searching for indecent images of children and said he was “shocked” images were found on his device.

Forensic analysis of Groom’s computer tower revealed that he had downloaded 8,707 Category C images of children over what is thought to be a seven-year period.

Mr Macrae said that “file names and internet searches associated with child sexual abuse” were found on the tower.

He was interviewed again in January after the forensic report and provided a further prepared statement in which he claimed he had “not deliberately sought out” indecent images.

Groom, of Main Street, Claxton, was charged with one count of making indecent images of minors between December 2014 and November 2021. He admitted the offence and appeared for sentence today.

Following his arrest, Groom claimed he had initially downloaded what he thought was legal pornography only to find it contained indecent images.

However, the forensic report debunked his claims that the downloads were accidental because “the searches had been made where such (indecent) images were likely to be”.

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Matthew Savage, mitigating, said Groom was now a changed man having voluntarily enrolled on an offenders’ prevention course. He added Groom had resigned from the force because he “felt that his position was untenable”. Mr Savage said:

“He remains deeply embarrassed and ashamed about his behaviour.”

He said Groom “understands fully the impact that this type of offending has” and that his arrest and subsequent conviction had been a “very salutary lesson”.

‘Not a victimless crime’

District judge Richard Kitson said the huge number of images was an “aggravating factor” in Groom’s despicable offences:

 “You understand that this is not a victimless crime. At some point, these photographs had been taken of very real children who have suffered that abuse.

“You were a police officer for a number of years and you have now lost that. Not only have you lost that employment, the public have lost what under other circumstances was a very good and brave police officer. You were a man not only of good character, but positive character.”

Mr Kitson told Groom he would not be sending him to jail because the probation service said he was at low risk of reoffending and could be rehabilitated in the community.

He said he had also taken account of the steps that Groom had taken to address his offending and his early guilty plea.

Instead, Groom was given an 18-month community order which includes 30 rehabilitation-activity days and 150 hours’ unpaid work.

He was also ordered to sign on the sex-offenders’ register for five years and made subject to a five-year sexual-harm prevention order to allow police to monitor his internet activities.

As part of his notification requirements, Groom will have to periodically report to Scarborough Police Station.