- Julie Barnes was found with horrific images after her Widnes home was raided
- She faces prison after pleading guilty to charges of possessing indecent images
Source: Dailymail.co.uk.
UK – A bondage-loving middle-aged mother who ran a fetish Facebook page under the name ‘Rosie Cheek’ faces prison after being found hoarding indecent images of children.
Julie Barnes had her home in Widnes, Cheshire, raided by police after she was linked to the X-rated social media account which contained explicit pictures of children between the ages of five and 16.
The 57-year-old told police that the images, which were downloaded over a three-year period, had been sent to her fetish page as part of a large number of sexual images sent in by fans.
However, Barnes has since pleaded guilty to multiple charges of possession of indecent images and could now face up to three years in prison.
On her fetish site, which is thought to have since been deleted, Barnes called herself ‘Big Blonde and Beautiful’ and posted pictures of herself in negligees.
Her own personal Facebook page still shows slave themed bondage photos along with a cat-o-nine tails alongside the caption: ‘I want it.. beautiful.’ But Barnes later told one fan: ‘Am not getting it, no one to play with xx.’
At Warrington magistrates court, Cheshire she admitted five charges namely possession of 47 indecent photos of children and to separate charges of possessing six photos in the most serious category A, eight in category B, and 33 of category C.
Category A images are those that involve penetrative sexual activity, sexual activity with an animal or sadism.
She also admitted possession of three prohibited images. All offences are said to have taken place between 1 March 2018 and 23 December 2021.
She could face up to three years in prison after magistrates decided the matter was sufficiently serious for a custodial sentence. She will be sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court next month.
Earlier Barnes attended the court with her daughter and with the aid of two walking sticks.
Angela Blackmore, prosecuting, said: ‘The defendant has no previous convictions and she pleaded guilty at the first available opportunity so that will afford her credit in the reduction of her sentence.
‘The offences came to light in June 2021. Cheshire Police were notified of a Facebook account Rosie Cheek 5268 where there were uploaded indecent images of children and a small amount of images via Facebook a few days earlier.
‘An internet provider address enquiry returned as Miss Barnes’s address in Widnes.
‘Subsequently, on December 23 at 6.50am a search warrant was executed by the Online Child Abuse Investigation Team.
‘Two mobile phones were seized, one belonging to her and one belonging to one of her children.
‘Due to her being in poor health, a decision was made not to arrest her at the time and she was asked to attend for an interview following the results of the investigation.
‘Images found on her phone were of children aged between five and 16. There were six of category A, eight of category B and 33 category C. Three were prohibited.
‘Subsequently, she was interviewed on September 9 of last year. The results of the examination were put to her.
‘The defendant provided a prepared statement which indicated that she accepted possessing the indecent images of children and the three prohibited images.
‘She said she did not seek the images out but they were sent to her fetish Facebook page. She had been sent a large amount of sexual images due to the nature of the account.
‘When asked specific questions she chose to make no comment.
‘She confirmed in an interview that she’d had no contact with children.’
She added: ‘Because of the low number of images of category A the starting point is 12 months in custody but there is a range of six months to three years.
‘Normally this would go to the crown court. There will be credit for her guilty plea and no previous convictions and these will have a bearing on determining the length of sentence.’
The court heard that Barnes had already been ordered to sign on the Sex Offenders’ Register and prosecutors will apply for a Sexual Harm Prevention Order against her.
In mitigation Barnes’s lawyer, Marcela Salter, said, ‘As my friend says, this is a case that would ordinarily have gone to the crown court.
‘There are two references, one from the defendant’s daughter, who is at the back of the court, and her sister who was here at the first hearing.
‘There is also a short letter from her GP indicating her medical issues and the effect immediate custody would have on this particular defendant.
‘There is also a well-written pre-sentence report which gives some insight into the defendant.’
The magistrates sent the case to Liverpool Crown Court for sentencing on February 23.
‘As these matters are so serious, they will not be dealt with today and we are going to send them to the crown court,’ Chairman Graham Griffiths said.
‘We believe our sentencing powers are insufficient. ‘
Barnes was bailed with conditions including that she does not have any unsupervised contact with a child under the age of 16 and does not live or enter or remain in a household where any child under the age of 16 is present.
Other conditions include informing police of any device she has capable of accessing the internet. Any such device she does possess must be available for police inspection and retain its internet search history.
