ANDREW MCGOVERN FROM SCUNTHORPE ESCAPES PRISON AFTER POSSESSING OVER 600 CHILD INDECENT IMAGES

In a case that has shocked the community of Scunthorpe, Andrew McGovern, a 52-year-old resident of Theodore Road, was found in possession of an alarming collection of indecent images of children, totaling more than 600 photographs. Despite the severity of the charges, McGovern was spared a prison sentence and instead received a court order that emphasizes rehabilitation and monitoring.

During proceedings at Grimsby Crown Court, McGovern pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent photographs of children. The court heard that the first charge involved a memory stick containing 423 images, of which seven were classified as Category A, indicating the most severe level of indecency. The second charge related to a laptop that held 71 images, while the third involved another laptop with 136 images, including two Category A photographs. These offences spanned from January 2012 to September 2013, and the images depicted children aged between four and twelve years old.

Initially, McGovern denied the allegations, but upon reinterview by police, he fully admitted to the offences and expressed remorse. His guilty plea was entered at the earliest opportunity, reflecting his acknowledgment of the crimes.

In mitigation, solicitor Craig Lowe highlighted that McGovern had not attempted to minimize his involvement and had shown genuine remorse for his actions. He requested the court to consider the recommendations outlined in a pre-sentence report prepared by the probation service, emphasizing the importance of treatment to prevent future offending.

Judge Kate Buckingham, presiding over the case, sentenced McGovern to a 36-month community order. This included a requirement for supervision and participation in a sex offenders’ treatment programme, aimed at addressing the underlying issues that led to his offending. Additionally, McGovern was issued a five-year sexual offences prevention order and will be registered as a sex offender for the same period, ensuring ongoing monitoring and restrictions to protect the community of Scunthorpe from potential harm.