STURMINSTER NEWTON PENSIONER BRYAN YOUNG CAUGHT WITH NEARLY 2000 CHILD INDECENT IMAGES

In August 2017, a disturbing case emerged involving Bryan Young, a 79-year-old resident of Kentisworth Road, Marnhull, within the town of Sturminster Newton. Young, a former soldier and a great-grandfather of five, was found to possess an alarming collection of nearly 2,000 indecent images of children, a revelation that has shocked the local community and prompted serious legal consequences.

Young appeared before Bournemouth Crown Court on a Friday, where he was sentenced to four months in prison, a sentence that was suspended for 18 months. This means that while he was given a custodial sentence, he would not serve time unless he committed another offence within the suspension period. The court proceedings revealed that Young had previously admitted to creating these illicit images at his home address over a span of more than three years, from February 2013 to April 2016.

During the hearing, it was disclosed that Young had pleaded guilty to making 29 Category A images, which are considered the most severe, along with 166 Category B images and a significant 1,712 Category C images. Additionally, he admitted to possessing a prohibited image of a child, further compounding the seriousness of his actions.

The investigation was triggered when Young took his laptop to a local computer repair shop in April of the previous year. The technician working on the device discovered an image depicting a naked girl approximately ten years old. Further scrutiny of the laptop revealed a file named 'Sonia M,' which contained more images of young girls, some of whom were dressed in bondage attire, indicating a disturbing pattern of exploitation and abuse.

Following this discovery, law enforcement officers executed a raid on Young’s residence. During the police interview, Young reportedly told officers that their presence must have been a shock to him. He then pointed them toward another computer in his home and confessed, “I was feeling guilty, I was going to delete them this week — that is the truth.”

The police seized the computer and a collection of DVDs, all containing indecent images of children, predominantly young girls aged between six and twelve. The court was informed that the images depicted children in various compromising and abusive scenarios, highlighting the severity of the offense.

Judge Peter Johnson, presiding over the case, addressed Young directly during sentencing. He stated, “It is clear you had a sexual interest in young children,” emphasizing the gravity of the crimes committed. As part of his punishment, Young was placed on the sexual offenders register and ordered to adhere to a sexual prevention order. This order restricts his access to computers and related devices for a period of seven years, aiming to prevent further offenses and protect the community.

Earlier in July 2017, Young had already admitted to possessing nearly 2,000 indecent images of children at his residence. During that hearing, he pleaded guilty to making the images and was also found in possession of a prohibited image of a child on April 26 of the previous year. He denied possessing an extreme pornographic image involving an animal, which was a separate charge. The case was adjourned until August 4 to allow probation services to prepare a pre-sentence report, indicating ongoing legal proceedings and the seriousness with which the court was treating the case.