A MAN who finally admitted being responsible for downloading child pornography has been remanded in custody after a judge refused to deal with him without a pre-sentence report.
Andrew Martin had pleaded not guilty at Warwick Crown Court to three charges of making indecent images of children and three of possessing such images.
But on the day of his trial, Martin (43) of Southam Road, Long Itchington, pleaded guilty to all six charges.
The court heard that between 2001 and his arrest in August last year he had made indecent photos of children covering all three categories of seriousness.
He was found to be in possession of four still images in category A and five in category B – defined as showing children being subjected to sex acts – and 13 in category C, which covers other images of children of an indecent nature.
Nick Devine, defending, asked for Martin to be sentenced straight away.
He pointed out: “The total number of images is 24, and the evidence would suggest the latest of those was downloaded in 2003.”
The ‘starting point’ in sentencing guidelines for offences involving a small number of images is set down as a prison term of 12 months.
Mr Devine explained that Martin, had already been remanded in custody for six months, which was the equivalent of a 12-month sentence.
Martin had originally said his son was responsible for the images but Mr Devine conceded: “That was one of the possible things he advanced. He now accepts he was downloading them and backed them up onto CDs between 2001 and 2007.”
Adjourning for a pre-sentence report, and remanding Martin in custody, Judge de Bertodano pointed out that the ‘sentencing range’ was 26 weeks to three years.
She told him: “It seems to me with offences of this kind, and with you being a father of young children, that a pre-sentence report is required.”
