November 2010

Man had 6,500 images of child pornography on his computer

POLICE found about 6,500 images of child pornography after searching a man’s computer, Grimsby Crown Court heard.

Christopher Marsh, 49, of Waltham Road, Barnoldby-le-Beck, admitted six offences of making indecent images of children between August 2004 and November last year.

Simon Hirst, prosecuting, said police went to Marsh’s home on November 17 last year and seized his computer. He admitted downloading the images. There were 5,635 images at the least serious level, but 19 at the most serious.

Paul Genney, mitigating, said Marsh had no previous convictions. He had been “fascinated” by the indecent images, but none of it was passed on to others. He was extremely remorseful, accepted he had done wrong and hoped his wife would stay with him.

Judge David Tremberg said there was an “unusually high number” of images and viewing them had become a “compulsion” for Marsh.

Marsh was given a three-year supervision order, including a sex offender treatment programme, and a five-year sexual offences prevention order. He was ordered to register as a sex offender.