IAN HAWKINS CINDERFORD CHILD PORNOGRAPHY OFFENDER ESCAPES JAIL SENTENCE

In March 2010, a disturbing case unfolded at Gloucester Crown Court involving Ian Hawkins, a 46-year-old man from Cinderford, who was found in possession of an alarming collection of child pornography images. Hawkins, originally from New Zealand, was discovered to have more than 15,600 images stored on his personal computer at his residence on Church Road, Cinderford. The court was informed that the majority of these images fell into the least serious category, known as level one, which indicates a lower degree of harm. However, the sheer volume of material was considered significant by the prosecution.

Prosecutor Martin Lanchester detailed that Hawkins faced multiple charges, including ten counts of making indecent photographs of a child and one count of possessing such images. Despite the gravity of the charges, Hawkins admitted to the offences, which were committed over a period of years. The court heard that police were alerted to Hawkins’s activities after his credit card was used to access online child pornography. When authorities arrived at his home, they discovered the extensive collection of images, which included approximately 200 images at levels two, three, and four, with two images classified at the most serious level five. In addition to child pornography, Hawkins also possessed a large quantity of legal adult pornography, as noted by Mr. Lanchester.

Hawkins, who was described as being of previous good character, was cooperative during the investigation and openly admitted to his actions. His defense lawyer, Lloyd Jenkins, emphasized that Hawkins recognized the wrongfulness of his conduct and argued that the risk of re-offending was minimal. Jenkins requested that not all of Hawkins’s computer and film equipment be confiscated or destroyed, citing sentimental footage of his family in New Zealand, including scenes of his mother playing the piano. The court agreed that Hawkins could retain these items, provided police verified that they contained no illicit material. A 28-day period was granted for the police to examine the footage.

Judge Martin Picton, presiding over the case, acknowledged the disturbing nature of the offences but ultimately decided against imprisonment. Instead, he sentenced Hawkins to two years of supervision and mandated that he attend the Thames Valley Sex Offender Programme. Additionally, Hawkins was placed under a five-year Sexual Offences Prevention Order, which prohibited him from living with or being in the company of children under 18, and from possessing any computer equipment without informing the authorities. The judge highlighted that although the images were predominantly at the lowest level, they were still very distressing and harmful to the children depicted. He emphasized that the guidelines for such cases often recommend community-based sentences rather than custodial ones, especially when the majority of images are less serious. Hawkins was also ordered to register as a sex offender for the next five years, underscoring the court’s recognition of the severity of his actions and the need for ongoing monitoring.