DANIEL BARNES FROM THAKEHAM ESCAPES JAIL DESPITE VILE CHILD IMAGES SCANDAL IN SUSSEX

In January 2019, a former police officer and local councillor from Thakeham, Daniel Barnes, was handed a community-based sentence after being found guilty of possessing and distributing highly disturbing indecent images of children. Despite the severity of his offences, Barnes was not sentenced to prison but received a 12-month community order, along with other court-mandated penalties.

Barnes, aged 40 and residing on Storrington Road in Thakeham, had previously served as a councillor for Bognor Regis Town Council. His resignation from the council came in January 2018, shortly after police raided his address in Bognor and arrested him on suspicion of creating indecent images of children. The timing of his resignation, less than three months after the arrest, raised questions about his motives and the extent of his involvement.

The case was brought to court after police investigations revealed that Barnes had downloaded and possessed a significant number of illicit images. During a hearing at Worthing Magistrates’ Court in December, Barnes pleaded guilty to six charges, which included the possession of 185 indecent images of children, as well as the distribution of some of these images. The images were categorized into different levels of severity, with one being a Category A image—the most serious—along with four Category B images and 180 Category C images. Additionally, Barnes was found to possess 23 prohibited images of children and five extreme pornographic images involving animals.

District Judge Amanda Kelly emphasized the gravity of the offences, stating, “Real children have been subjected to the most awful, vile abuse,” despite Barnes having viewed the images. The court heard that the images were sourced from the internet, and there was no evidence to suggest any direct risk to local children in Sussex or elsewhere. Nevertheless, the judge made it clear that such offences are profoundly serious and warrant strict penalties.

Following the guilty plea, the case was transferred to Portsmouth Crown Court for sentencing, where judges have greater authority to impose custodial sentences. However, Judge Roger Herthington decided against sending Barnes to prison. Instead, he was given a 12-month community order, which includes requirements for unpaid work and participation in rehabilitation programs. Barnes was also ordered to sign the sex offenders register for a period of five years, a measure intended to monitor and manage his potential risk to the community.

In a statement, Sussex Police clarified that Barnes’s offences were unrelated to his previous employment as a police officer. They confirmed that Barnes resigned from Sussex Police in 2016 of his own accord, not as a result of this investigation, which commenced with his arrest in 2017. The police also reassured the public that the images involved were obtained from the internet and that there is no indication of any ongoing threat to children in the local area.

As Barnes prepares to face sentencing, the case highlights the ongoing concerns about online child exploitation and the importance of strict legal measures to combat such heinous crimes. The court’s decision underscores the seriousness with which the justice system treats offences involving the abuse and exploitation of children, even when committed by individuals with prior law enforcement experience.