ALEX CHARLESWORTH FROM TONBRIDGE SENTENCED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY OFFENSES IN MAIDSTONE

In March 2021, a serious case involving a registered sex offender from Tonbridge culminated in a significant legal outcome after he was found guilty of possessing and downloading indecent images of children. The individual, identified as Alex Charlesworth, faced multiple police interventions at his residence on Hectorage Road, which ultimately led to his arrest and subsequent sentencing.

Authorities had been monitoring Charlesworth’s activities under the terms of a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO), a legal measure designed to restrict and oversee the behavior of convicted sex offenders. As part of this order, police officers had the authority to conduct unannounced inspections of his electronic devices, including mobile phones and computers, to ensure compliance and prevent further offenses.

On August 12, 2019, officers visited Charlesworth’s home on Hectorage Road. During the visit, Charlesworth claimed that he had misplaced his mobile phone. When officers attempted to contact him via the number associated with the device, they heard the phone ringing from beneath a chair in his home. The phone was promptly seized for examination. A forensic review revealed that the device contained seven indecent images of children, with one of these images classified as being in the most serious category of illegal content.

Following this initial discovery, police conducted two additional unannounced visits later that same year. These visits resulted in the seizure of a tablet and a new mobile phone, both of which contained a total of 153 illegal images. Among these, five were identified as being in the most serious category, indicating the severity of the material Charlesworth was accessing.

In February of the following year, Charlesworth was arrested again as part of ongoing investigations. He was released on bail while authorities continued to gather evidence. Despite being under supervision, Charlesworth continued to access and download illegal images. A further inspection on September 24 uncovered additional illicit material on another phone, leading to his re-arrest.

At the time of his arrest, Charlesworth was 39 years old. He was brought before Maidstone Crown Court, where he pleaded guilty to six counts of making indecent images of a child. The court proceedings revealed the extent of his offending, which persisted despite the legal restrictions placed upon him.

On the day of sentencing, Charlesworth was handed a custodial sentence of three years and five months. Additionally, he was subjected to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order, which aims to prevent any future offending and restrict his access to harmful material. The judge emphasized the seriousness of his actions and the failure of previous measures to rehabilitate him.

Detective Inspector Paul Raines commented on the case, stating, “Charlesworth is a repeat offender who was given every opportunity to engage in rehabilitation, whilst being subject to strict court conditions to deter his ability to access illegal images of children. In spite of this, he has been unable to stop offending and remains determined to access images of children suffering appalling abuse. He must now face the consequences with a prison sentence.”