Ex-Liverpool journalist admits possessing child sex images

Turnbull on the 'best of Liverpool' site

A former daily newspaper journalist from Liverpool has avoided jail after admitting the possession of 36 indecent images of children as young as 10.

Reporter Barry Turnbull, 55, from Park Road East, Birkenhead pleaded guilty at Liverpool Crown Court in what his defence lawyer described as a ‘spectacular’ fall from grace.

Reporting on their former colleague’s court appearance, the Liverpool Echo said Turnbull’s conversations on the internet video calling service Skype took place with other men about abusing children.

Turnbull was charged with four counts of possessing indecent images of children, one count of possessing an extreme pornographic image involving a woman and a dog and one count of possessing a prohibited image of a child.

The court heard publicity about the case had already forced Turnbull to move house twice.

Turnbull was described himself online as a ‘business journalist and writer and former editor of of business publications at Trinity Mirror Liverpool, was sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for two years, and subjected to a two year supervision order.

He was ordered to sign the sex offenders register for ten years and subjected to a sexual harm prevention order for two years.