DAVID MOORE FROM NEWBURY SENTENCED TO 12 MONTHS FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY OFFENSES

In March 2018, David Moore, a resident of Mandarin Drive in Newbury, was sentenced to a year in prison after being found guilty of possessing a large collection of indecent images of children. This case marked a significant escalation in his criminal behavior, which had previously been addressed through therapy following a suspended sentence.

Moore, aged 66, had a history of offenses related to child exploitation. Despite having undergone therapeutic intervention aimed at curbing his 'chronic' and 'calculated' offending tendencies, he relapsed into illegal activities at the end of 2016, roughly five years after his initial conviction. His relapse was discovered when authorities uncovered that he had amassed a staggering total of 2,131 images, nearly 500 of which were classified as the most serious category, including disturbing images involving animals engaged in sexual acts.

During the court proceedings at Reading Crown Court, prosecutor James Batten emphasized the severity of the images involved. He stated, “The images described were all inaccessible. However, I would ask you to consider the age and vulnerability of the children involved. There is also the pain and distress that this will no doubt have caused.” The court was made aware of the emotional and psychological harm inflicted upon the victims, which added weight to the prosecution’s case.

Moore’s defense team, along with the Probation Service, requested that the court consider suspending his sentence, arguing that he should be given another chance to seek help and rehabilitation. However, Judge Simon Oliver was unconvinced by these pleas. He expressed concern that Moore’s actions did not appear to be accidental but rather indicative of a calculated effort to avoid detection. The judge remarked, “This was not a question of accidentally downloading images. It suggests to me that this was a much more calculated approach to avoid getting caught. Your behaviour was chronic. You had therapeutic input. How can I be convinced that therapy is the answer this time?”

Judge Oliver further criticized Moore’s failure to learn from past mistakes, stating, “It seems to me that you have had your chance and you have not taken advantage of it. You have failed to take advantage and learn your lesson.”

Moore admitted to multiple charges, including three counts of possessing indecent images, one count of possessing a prohibited image, one count of possessing an extreme pornographic image, and one count of publishing an obscene article. In addition to the 12-month prison sentence, he will serve half of this term on license. The court also imposed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for ten years and ordered the images to be forfeited and destroyed to prevent further harm.

This case underscores the ongoing challenges faced by authorities in addressing recidivist offenders and highlights the importance of stringent sentencing to protect vulnerable individuals from exploitation.