ARRON BARK FROM NEWENDEN ESCAPES JAIL AFTER CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CHARGES IN SUSSEX

In a case that has shocked the local community of Newenden and the surrounding areas, Arron Bark, a 27-year-old former Cub Scout leader, has admitted to possessing a significant collection of indecent images depicting children. The investigation revealed that Bark had downloaded hundreds of these images, many classified at the most severe levels of explicitness, raising serious concerns about the safety and well-being of minors.

Detective Constable Jane Tunnicliff, a member of Sussex Police's paedophile investigation team, emphasized the gravity of the case, stating, “The images we found were at all levels of seriousness and although there was no evidence of contact offending, it should be remembered that every such image is by definition an image of a child being sexually abused.” Her comments underscore the disturbing nature of the material involved, even in the absence of direct contact with victims.

During the court proceedings held at Lewes Crown Court last Thursday, it was disclosed that Bark, who resides on Lossenham Lane in Newenden, had been actively downloading these illicit images between August 2008 and December 2009 while living in Eastbourne. The court heard that approximately 800 images were recovered, consisting of photographs and pseudo-photographs. Importantly, authorities confirmed that none of these images involved local children, and there was no evidence to suggest any contact—either online or in person—between Bark and the subjects of the images.

The investigation was initiated after a tip-off led Sussex Police to scrutinize Bark’s activities. In January of the previous year, police officers executed a search warrant at his residence, seizing computer equipment and printed images related to the case. Bark was subsequently arrested on the same day, released on bail, and later formally charged with the offences in November 2010.

In court, Bark pleaded guilty to 20 counts of making indecent images of girls aged approximately between 9 and 13. The court sentenced him to a 12-month prison term, which was suspended for two years. Additionally, Bark was ordered to sign the sex offender register for ten years, was placed under a Sexual Offences Prevention Order, and mandated to attend a treatment program aimed at addressing his offending behavior.

Detective Inspector Alison Eaton, who leads Sussex Police’s paedophile investigation team, issued a stark warning to potential offenders, stating, “This sentence should send a clear message to others who think that online environments offer them anonymity. Everything leaves a digital footprint and perpetrators will be relentlessly pursued and brought to justice.” The case serves as a reminder that online activity related to child exploitation is taken very seriously by law enforcement agencies across Sussex and beyond.