ALAN MANSELL PLYMOUTH EX-GOVERNOR AND MAGIC CIRCLE MEMBER CAUGHT WITH NEARLY 2,000 CHILD PORN IMAGES IN PLYMOUTH
In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Plymouth, Alan Mansell, a 59-year-old former school governor and a prominent member of the Plymouth Magic Circle, was found to have downloaded and possessed nearly 2,000 indecent images of children.The incident came to light after police executed a search warrant at his residence on Elburton Road, Plymstock, on January 24 of the previous year.
During the police raid, officers discovered a significant collection of still photographs and video files stored on Mansell's computer.
The images depicted children in various states of sexual exploitation, with some appearing to be as young as under 13 years old.
Mansell admitted to police that he believed the children in the images were aged between 13 and 14 and confessed that he viewed these images for sexual gratification.
However, investigators later established that many of the children depicted were considerably younger than he initially claimed.
Following the evidence, Mansell pleaded guilty to nine counts of possessing and downloading indecent images of children, along with one count of possessing an extreme adult pornographic image.
His involvement in these criminal activities was further linked to his role as a school governor at Plymstock School, a position he held at the time, and his membership in the Plymouth Magic Circle, where he was elected president in 2008.
The court proceedings revealed that the images were categorized into different levels based on their severity.
Of the total, 1,751 images were classified as Level One, indicating the least serious category.
An additional 30 images fell into Level Two, 91 into Level Three, and 53 into Level Four.
The most severe category, Level Five, was also present, although the exact number of images in this category was not specified.
It was noted that Mansell's arrest was triggered after he accessed a website that was under police surveillance.
The authorities had been monitoring this site as part of their ongoing efforts to combat online child exploitation.
Representing Mansell, solicitor Ali Rafati, stated that his client had sought treatment for his behavior and was no longer working as a magician.
He emphasized that Mansell's role as a school governor involved only administrative duties and that he was not involved in any other capacity.
Judge Francis Gilbert QC addressed Mansell directly during sentencing, highlighting the gravity of his actions.
The judge emphasized that the children depicted in the images had been subjected to abuse against their will and often appeared distressed.
As a result, Mansell was sentenced to four months in prison, suspended for two years.
Additionally, he was placed under two years of supervision by the Probation Service, ordered to pay costs amounting to £1,485, and required to complete the Internet Sex Offender Programme.
Mansell was also mandated to remain on the Sex Offenders' Register for a period of seven years, reflecting the serious nature of his offenses and the ongoing risk to the community.
