August 2010

Paedophile sent back to prison after being caught on internet days after jail release

A PAEDOPHILE convicted of downloading thousands of indecent images of children has been jailed again after being caught accessing the internet just five days after his release from prison.

A judge had banned former Royal Navy sailor David McGuin, pictured, for life from owning any equipment which can access the web after he was convicted of downloading the most extreme pornographic pictures.

But Plymouth Crown Court heard that within days of being freed for his latest offence, he was caught by police with a new laptop computer, mobile phone, dongle and a memory stick which would have enabled him to download and store images and movies.

McGuin, aged 39, admitted breaching a Sexual Offences Prevention Order.

The former Chief Petty Officer, who used to live at Lisson Grove in Mutley, has been convicted three times of making indecent images of children.

He was made subject to the SOPO at Plymouth Crown Court in September 2007.

McGuin was jailed for 30 months in March 2009 for downloading 5,662 indecent images of children on to his computer. He was recalled to serve the remainder of that sentence after breaching the terms of his release on licence, and is now due for release in November 2011.

David Gittins, for the Crown Prosecution Service, said that McGuin was released from Dartmoor Prison on June 23.

Two days later, as required by the sex offenders’ register, he told the police he was staying at The Rooms Hotel in Union Street.

Mr Gittins said a police officer went to check on him on June 28, but McGuin was reluctant to allow him in.

Once inside, he told him: ‘Well, you have caught me, I am going back to jail.”

The officer found an internet-enabled mobile phone, a new laptop and a USB memory stick, all connected to the internet via a dongle.

The police had not checked to see what was on the computer, he said.

Nigel Hall, for McGuin, said he had bought the laptop and the phone so he could find a job and somewhere to live, and to download adult pornography.

He had made no attempt to download child pornography, was remorseful and just wanted to get on with his life.

Judge Francis Gilbert QC said McGuin’s prediction about going back to jail was right, telling him his record was a very serious one which showed complete disregard for orders imposed by the court.

He told McGuin his explanation for having the computer was not credible, adding: “You clearly had in mind going back to your old habits.”

He jailed McGuin for three years, to run concurrently with the sentence he is already serving, and ordered the equipment to be confiscated and disposed of by the police.