September 2023

Former table tennis coach sentenced for indecent images of children

A former table tennis coach has been given a three-year community order and a number of restrictions for making and distributing indecent images of children.

Alexander Mercer, 31, of Commercial Road in Grantham appeared at Lincoln Crown Court where he was sentenced for the following:

• Distributing 24 Category A indecent videos of children between 22 September 2014 to 28 January 2016.

• Distributing six Category B indecent images of children and 31 Category B indecent videos of a child between 22 September 2014 to 28 January 2016.

• Distributing 24 Category C indecent images of children and one Category C indecent video of a child between 22 September 2014 and 28 January 2016.

• Made 47 Category A indecent images of children and 102 Category A indecent videos of children between 15 September 2014 and May 2020.

• Made 56 Category B indecent images of children and 77 Category B indecent videos of children between 15 September 2014 and May 2020.

• Made 449 Category C indecent images of children and 15 Category C indecent videos of children between 15 September 2014 and May 2020.

• Possessed six prohibited images of a child between 15 September 2014 and May 2020

He pleaded guilty to all seven charges on Thursday 6 July.

Mercer has now been given a three-year community order and a 30-day rehabilitation requirement.

Additionally, he has been told to carry out 120 hours of community service.

Mercer has also been given a sexual harm prevention order and has been placed on the sex offenders’ register for five years.

He has been banned from working with children too.