…Researched and contributed by Lola Smith.
Marc Francis has admitted to possessing more than 230 indecent images of children on his phone, many featuring girls as young as six.
Despite denying having any sexual interest in children, the court heard that the father-of-one knew it was against the law and got a “buzz” from downloading the images.
Search and Discovery
A search warrant was executed at Francis’ home in Llanelli last year, where officers discovered 50 of the 230 images were in Category A, the most extreme forms of abuse.
When questioned by officers, Francis stated he had downloaded “porn” from Twitter to Telegram.
Although he answered “no comment” to all other questions during the interview, he later pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children.
A Chance to Change
James Hartson, Francis’ representative, told the court that the defendant knew what he was doing was against the law and had a problem that he now accepts.
Judge Paul Thomas KC told Francis that the images he downloaded were not just pictures but were real children somewhere in the world being horribly abused so people like him could masturbate over them.
He advised Francis that it was only when he accepted the reality of his sexual interest in children that he could be helped.
Consequences
Francis was sentenced to eight months in prison suspended for two years, 200 hours of unpaid work, and a rehabilitation course.
He will also be registered as a sex offender for the next 10 years and was made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order to manage his access to the internet.
The judge made clear that children would continue to be horribly abused as long as there was a market for the material, highlighting the importance of awareness and prevention measures.
Commentary
The case highlights the severity of the crime of possessing indecent images of children and the devastating impact it has on victims.
It is concerning that Francis knew it was against the law and still continued to download such abhorrent material.
The judge’s comments underscore the reality of child sexual abuse and the role that individuals who possess such images play in perpetuating this heinous crime.
While it is important that offenders are held accountable for their actions, prevention measures and awareness campaigns are crucial to protecting vulnerable children and preventing child sexual abuse.