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Three paedophiles who admitted downloading child abuse images for their own perverted pleasure have walked free from Hull Crown Court within the space of one month.

The paedophiles were all prosecuted by police and pleaded guilty to their perverted, sick crimes.

Mark Whitehead was caught with 139 child abuse images and videos and had been viewing them for three years. Gareth Roberts was found to have indecent images of children as young as four years old in "discernible pain or distress". Lee Holmes watched hour-long films of children being sexually abused in the most horrific way.

Yet, instead of being sent to prison, all three men who are attracted to children have walked free from court and been ordered to undergo rehabilitation.

(Image: Simon Bristow)

Parents have reacted with fury at finding out the men have been released to live back in their community.

Roberts lives on Munstead Way in Brough, just yards from a primary school and popular children's park. Holmes lives in Clive Vale, Estcourt Street, east Hull - where there's a primary school at one end of the street and a playing fields at the other. And Whitehead lives on Hopwood Close, west Hull - around the corner from the children's playground.

What parents say

Discussing the issue on the Family News - Hull Live Facebook page and on the Hull Live Facebook page, parents say they can't understand why they have not been jailed. One parent said allowing them to walk free is "no deterrent" to others.

Maz Storr said: "Another one back on street to do as he pleases while all our children are unsafe because there are that many predators being let off the hook!

Watch: UK crime sentencing guidelines

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"Their names are on a list, that's going to stop him thinking about kids, and stop him from leaving the house and been around children, not!"

Rachel Little Forward said: "He didn't even get jail time!!! How!?! How can they allow someone like that live a normal life!? He doesn't deserve it!!"

(Image: Hull Live)

Chloe Wolfe said: "Can someone tell me who decides on these sentences? Is it the judges, someone above the judges?"

David Coz said: "What deterrent is there? These lowlife vermin just say sorry and give a sob story and get the mandatory slap on the wrist. Costs too much to keep the scumbags in jail and that's the why they get away with it."

Hayley Baxter said: "That’s disgusting!! They are EVERYWHERE! Our children aren’t safe!"

Court punishments

Both Holmes and Whitehead were ordered to attend sessions of a new Horizons programme for internet offenders and have rehabilitation.

Holmes was placed under an electronically-monitored curfew for three months between 7pm and 7am, must register as a sex offender for ten years, and was made subject to a sexual harm prevention order for the same period.

Roberts was ordered to have up to 50 days rehabilitation, and pay £500 costs within 28 days.

Horizon is a new programme for men over 18 who have been assessed as "medium risk" and have been convicted of a sexual offence.

Watch: 21 paedophiles jailed in Hull this year

It aims to teach them "to manage unhealthy sexual thoughts and behaviours" and make other positive changes to their lives.

These courses are both suitable for people who are maintaining innocence and those who plead guilty because they do not require an admission of guilt.

poll loading Should people who download indecent images be jailed? 2000+ VOTES SO FAR Yes, no matter what the circumstances are - children have suffered It depends on the case - sometimes they can be rehabilitated

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