DEREK MUNN FROM BERE ALSTON SENTENCED FOR NEARLY 600 CHILD ABUSE IMAGES IN PLYMOUTH COURT

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Bere Alston and the surrounding areas near Plymouth, Derek Munn, a 51-year-old school governor, has been sentenced to prison after being found guilty of possessing a large collection of indecent images of children. The incident, which came to light in June 2010, revealed that Munn had downloaded nearly 600 illicit photographs from the internet over a span of more than three years, from October 2006 to November 2009.

At the time of his arrest, Munn was serving as a parent-governor at Bere Alston Primary School. However, education authorities confirmed that no children attending the school were directly involved or placed at risk due to his actions. The case was brought before Plymouth Crown Court, where Recorder Michael Parroy QC presided over the sentencing hearing.

Prior to the court proceedings, police investigations were initiated after authorities detected suspicious activity linked to Munn’s credit card payments for online content. A search warrant was executed at his residence in The Downs, Bere Alston, leading to the discovery of 594 images stored on his computer. These images varied in severity, but all fell under the category of illegal child abuse material.

During police interviews, Munn admitted that he had been viewing such sites for between five and seven years. He expressed an interest in girls aged between eight and thirteen. Importantly, authorities found no evidence suggesting that Munn had distributed these images to other individuals involved in child exploitation networks.

Prosecutor Lucy Ray explained that Munn had no prior criminal convictions. She also clarified that his online activity was limited to viewing and downloading images, rather than sharing or distributing them. Munn claimed that he had paid for access to certain news websites, which then provided links to other sites containing illicit material.

In sentencing, Recorder Parroy sentenced Munn to 26 weeks in prison. Additionally, he ordered Munn to register as a sex offender for the next seven years and imposed a five-year Sexual Offences Prevention Order to restrict his future activities. The court also mandated the destruction of all the images found on his devices and ordered Munn to pay prosecution costs amounting to £510.

Authorities from Devon County Council and local police reassured the public that no children from the Bere Alston community or nearby areas were involved or harmed in connection with this case. A local resident, who preferred to remain anonymous, expressed her shock and distress upon learning of Munn’s actions, stating, “To hear what he did was horrifying, and having to tell the children was not pleasant.”