April 2010 Paedophile lorry driver stole girl’s childhood A LORRY driver who subjected a girl to sexual abuse for six years has been jailed. Christopher Monkman, formerly of Stonehouse, was told he had stolen his victim’s childhood. Gloucester Crown Court heard the 45-year-old, now of no fixed address, also took indecent pictures of another young girl – and had child porn on his computer when he was arrested. Judge William Hart sentenced Monkman to four years in prison followed by an extended three years parole licence. “I regard you as an entrenched and untreated child sex offender,” the judge told Monkman. “You committed offences which had a particularly traumatic effect on the girl and to some extent you stole her childhood.” Monkman admitted two charges of indecent assault between December 1993 and January 2004. He also admitted two offences of making indecent images of another girl and one of possessing child porn in June last year. Kirsty Real, prosecuting, said the victim’s mother found a note written by her daughter which made her suspicious of Monkman. But nothing was reported to police until last year and Monkman was arrested on June 5, said Miss Real. Following his arrest, his home was searched and computer equipment and digital media seized. The court heard images were found of a young girl of whom he had taken indecent photographs. He had also downloaded indecent video and pictures. In a file marked ‘No No Illegal’ he had 50 images at the least serious level one, four at level two, and 12 at level three. “He cited curiosity among his reasons for downloading that material,” said Miss Real. Martin Steen, defending, said the young girl whom Monkman had photographed indecently had regarded it as a game. Mr Steen said the indecent images downloaded by Monkman would, for many years, have been regarded as legal but were classified indecent under todays ‘more sensitive’ guidelines. The most serious offences were the assaults on the older girl, said Mr Steen. “The pre-sentence report on him says he has been profoundly chastened by these proceedings. His early guilty plea to the charges indicates his genuine remorse.” Mr Steen said Monkman had already taken steps to get help and treatment so he could identify and understand the reasons for his offending. “He wishes to apologise for the harm he has caused.” But Judge William Hart told Monkman: “You do not, in my judgment, accept the full extent of your culpability and you minimise it.” He made a sexual offences prevention order against him and told him he would have to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register indefinitely.