JAMES MITCHELMORE DEVONPORT NAVY DIVER CAUGHT WITH HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF CHILD ABUSE IMAGES IN DEVONPORT

In a disturbing case that has shocked the local community, James Mitchelmore, a 32-year-old former Royal Navy diver from Devonport, has been found in possession of an overwhelming number of indecent images of children. The police investigation revealed that Mitchelmore's computers contained so many illicit images that officers decided to cease counting after reaching 4,440, although they strongly believe the actual number could have exceeded 100,000. This staggering figure underscores the severity of the offender's activities and the extent of his online misconduct.

During the hearing at Plymouth Crown Court, it was explained that the Devon and Cornwall police have a policy of not attempting to classify or count images once they surpass a certain threshold—specifically between 2,000 and 3,000 images—due to the impracticality and the gravity of such offenses. Judge Graham Cottle addressed the court, emphasizing the dangerous implications of such behavior. He stated, "People like you, looking at these images late at night, often under the influence of alcohol and cocaine, encourage others to commit these heinous acts against children. That is why this matter is so serious."

The judge further highlighted that some of the images found were in the most severe categories, involving children aged between one and five years old. These images were classified from level one, the lowest, to level five, the most serious. Despite the gravity of the content, Judge Cottle expressed concern that a short prison sentence might not address Mitchelmore's underlying sexual interests. He remarked that if Mitchelmore were to serve a brief jail term, he would likely emerge without receiving any treatment for his sexual proclivities.

To better serve the public interest and reduce the risk of reoffending, Judge Cottle recommended that Mitchelmore participate in specialized programs, including the Internet Sex Offender Treatment Programme and the Thinking Skills Programme. He believed these interventions offered a better chance of rehabilitation than incarceration alone. Consequently, Mitchelmore was sentenced to 52 weeks in prison, suspended for two years, and was ordered to pay £1,000 towards prosecution costs.

Mitchelmore, who resides on Porteous Close in Devonport, had previously admitted to 15 charges related to making or downloading indecent images of children, along with one charge of possessing an extreme pornographic image. The police had conducted a search of his former residence in St Judes on August 2, 2010, during which they discovered the vast collection of illicit material stored across two computers and a USB device. Sarah Vince, representing the Crown Prosecution Service, explained that the police had initially found over 100,000 unique images but stopped counting after classifying 4,404 of them. The images had been downloaded over a period of four years, and internet search terms recovered from the devices indicated a clear sexual interest in children.

Defense solicitor Deni Matthews stated that Mitchelmore had served as a Royal Navy diver for 12 years but had left the service following his arrest. Matthews explained that Mitchelmore had not immediately confessed to his crimes due to feelings of fear and embarrassment. He added that the images were accessed after Mitchelmore returned from the pub, sometimes in the company of friends. It was also revealed that some of the password-protected files had passwords written on stickers attached to the computer, which were known to several individuals, including Mitchelmore himself. Matthews acknowledged that Mitchelmore accepted he was the primary operator of the devices and admitted to experiencing some gratification from viewing the images.

Judge Cottle commented on the sheer volume of material found, noting, "There was such an enormous amount of material that the police stopped counting. Who knows how many level four and level five images there were?" As part of his sentence, Mitchelmore is required to sign the Sex Offender Register for five years and is subject to a Sex Offences Prevention Order, which prohibits him from having contact with children. These measures aim to prevent any further harm and protect potential victims from future offenses.