Client Avoids Prison for Possessing Indecent Images

Case study summary

Our client pleaded guilty to possessing indecent images of children. He explained that he had been experiencing a difficult period in his life but he had since taken steps to rectify this. We were able to persuade the court not to send him to prison.

Case study

Our client was a 67-year-old man who was retired. In 2020, his electronic devices were seized by the police because they suspected that someone at his address was downloading indecent images of children. One year later, our client moved house and the police seized his devices again because they received another notification which informed them that an individual at his new address was accessing indecent images of children.

Our client admitted the allegations. He explained that at the time of his offending, his relationship with his wife was deteriorating. They had been married for 45 years but he had started to feel lost and lonely so he began searching for pornography on the internet. Whilst exploring different pornographic websites, indecent images of children appeared which he downloaded onto his computer.

We discussed the offending with our client who confirmed that he realised what he had done was wrong. Since his police interview, he had repaired the relationship with his wife, attended counselling and used the support of his family to improve his mental health. We used this information to prepare the case and represented our client at court. Despite a prison sentence being a real possibility, we persuaded the court to impose a community order with a focus on preventing any further offending.

Our client was relieved to be able to continue enjoying his retirement alongside his wife.