It is possible to have images without realizing?
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My partner was arrested on Friday on suspicion of 2 videos on one date. I know there are a lot of illegal websites for downloading legal content like movies, football and anime for example. From what I have researched, things can be downloaded without knowing what they are and do not have titles of concern and only know they are indecent images once opened. Has anyone experienced this and what was the outcome please?
It is entirely possible to download a file without knowing what is in it. But I have not come across a situation where illegal images are mixed in with Hollywood movies, or normal TV programmes, or even with non sexual images.
The most common scenario is that illegal images or videos would be mixed together with legal porn images and videos. Usually the person will be searching for some kind of porn and they might be sent a link for example, which says "young girls", but without saying that some of the images are illegal.
So it is only partly true to say that they did not know what they were downloading. In practice the police will look at the persons search and chat history and highlight any key words that might indicate a search for something illegal.
If there are no suspicious key words found, then the person might be able to argue that it was accidental. There have been one or two cases that went to trial and were found not guilty. But they tended to be ones where no searches for any type of porn were uncovered. As soon as the person searches for any porn, of any kind, they immediately reduce their chances of a jury believing they are innocent.
If illegal images or videos are found on a device, then the CPS will almost always prosecute, no matter how they got there. Proving it was an accident will mean going to trial, and most men just plead guilty.
Edit. There is another small possibility. If the image or video is cat C and there are only a very small number of them, then it may not be illegal at all. It might be a completely legal image of a child that the police think is posing in an illegal way. These cases are also very rare, but do happen sometimes.
The most common scenario is that illegal images or videos would be mixed together with legal porn images and videos. Usually the person will be searching for some kind of porn and they might be sent a link for example, which says "young girls", but without saying that some of the images are illegal.
So it is only partly true to say that they did not know what they were downloading. In practice the police will look at the persons search and chat history and highlight any key words that might indicate a search for something illegal.
If there are no suspicious key words found, then the person might be able to argue that it was accidental. There have been one or two cases that went to trial and were found not guilty. But they tended to be ones where no searches for any type of porn were uncovered. As soon as the person searches for any porn, of any kind, they immediately reduce their chances of a jury believing they are innocent.
If illegal images or videos are found on a device, then the CPS will almost always prosecute, no matter how they got there. Proving it was an accident will mean going to trial, and most men just plead guilty.
Edit. There is another small possibility. If the image or video is cat C and there are only a very small number of them, then it may not be illegal at all. It might be a completely legal image of a child that the police think is posing in an illegal way. These cases are also very rare, but do happen sometimes.
Yes it is. But as the above says, it's quite rare.
An image could be downloaded though a link or a bulk download amongst legal porn and legal videos and be un-noticed if there a lot of them. The police will be able to tell if it was ever opened.
You still have to go through the process of forensics and the waiting.
There have been a few people on the forum who have social work involvement for years and restrictions in place for nothing to ever come of it and get NFA.
An image could be downloaded though a link or a bulk download amongst legal porn and legal videos and be un-noticed if there a lot of them. The police will be able to tell if it was ever opened.
You still have to go through the process of forensics and the waiting.
There have been a few people on the forum who have social work involvement for years and restrictions in place for nothing to ever come of it and get NFA.