BENJAMIN THOMPSON FROM TOOTHILL SENTENCED FOR CHILD ABUSE IMAGES AND BURGLARY AT SWINDON CROWN COURT

In September 2012, Benjamin Thompson, a man currently serving time for burglary, faced additional legal consequences after authorities uncovered disturbing evidence on his computer. The police discovered a significant collection of images and videos depicting child sexual abuse, leading to an extension of his existing prison sentence.

Benjamin Thompson, aged 34 and formerly residing on Stanford Close in Toothill, was already serving a three-and-a-half-year prison term that was imposed last autumn. This sentence was the result of his conviction as a three-strike burglar, reflecting a history of repeated offenses. However, the discovery of illicit material on his computer prompted the court to consider further punishment.

At Swindon Crown Court, Judge Douglas Field presided over the case. He announced that the additional sentence for possessing child abuse images would be halved to account for the time Thompson had already spent behind bars for his previous crimes. The court heard that in August 2010, officers found hundreds of indecent images of children stored on Thompson’s computer. Over the preceding eight months, he had accumulated a total of 1,107 images, varying in severity, including prohibited images and extreme adult pornography, which featured bestiality.

Thompson admitted to five counts of creating and one count of possessing indecent images of children. He also pleaded guilty to possessing prohibited images and extreme adult pornography. The court was informed that he had been previously jailed in the previous year and had received a concurrent one-year sentence in February for another burglary. Initially denying the charges, Thompson later changed his plea to admit guilt, which resulted in a 25% reduction in his sentence.

During the proceedings, his defense lawyer, Chris Smyth, explained that Thompson’s offending was linked to a long-standing drug addiction. Smyth also highlighted Thompson’s background, noting that he was privately educated and had begun A-level studies before dropping out. The lawyer described Thompson as a person who had failed his family and emphasized the need for him to turn his life around.

Judge Field, in passing sentence, remarked that Thompson, at 34 years old, had an extensive criminal record for dishonesty but that this was his first conviction related to a sexual offense. The judge initially suggested a sentence of ten months in custody, but given Thompson’s time already served and the fact that he was not due for release until May, the sentence was halved and made consecutive to his existing term.

Furthermore, the court imposed a sexual offences prevention order for ten years, requiring Thompson to cooperate with police investigations into his internet activity. He was also ordered to register as a sex offender for a period of seven years, ensuring ongoing monitoring of his conduct and compliance with legal restrictions.