HARLOW MAN DAVID SCALLY SENTENCED FOR CHILD AND ANIMAL PORNOGRAPHY OFFENSES IN CHELMSFORD

On Wednesday, November 14, a man from Harlow named David Scally was sentenced to a 28-month prison term after admitting to serious charges related to child and animal pornography. The court proceedings took place at Chelmsford Crown Court, where the 34-year-old unemployed resident of Park Court was formally convicted and subsequently placed on the Sex Offenders Register for a period of ten years.

In addition to his registration requirement, Scally was issued a ten-year Sex Offenders Prevention Order (SOPO), which imposes strict restrictions on his activities and internet usage to prevent further offenses. The court was informed that Scally was arrested at his residence in Harlow in March of the same year, marking the beginning of the legal process against him.

The charges against him included two counts of distributing indecent images of children, three counts of creating indecent photographs of minors, and two counts of possessing pornographic images depicting sexual acts involving animals. These offenses were committed in 2011, and Scally had previously pleaded guilty to all charges during an earlier hearing, streamlining the sentencing process.

Following the court session, Detective Sergeant Ian Collins, who led the investigation, spoke to the media outside the courthouse. He expressed satisfaction with the outcome, stating, “This is another positive result at court for the online protection team.” He emphasized the importance of the sentence in addressing the offender’s addiction, noting that Scally would have access to necessary help upon his release from prison. Furthermore, Collins highlighted that after serving his sentence, Scally would be monitored by the Dangerous Offender Unit and would face ongoing restrictions on his internet use as part of the SOPO order, aimed at safeguarding the community from further harm.