PENRITH MAN JAMES MORRISON SENTENCED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY OFFENSES IN CUMBRIA

In a case that has shocked the local community of Penrith, James Morrison, a man previously regarded as a respected member of the community, has been sentenced for serious offenses involving the possession and creation of indecent images of children. The incident came to light in March 2017, when police officers executed a search warrant at Morrison’s residence on Salkeld Road in Penrith, Cumbria.

During the police raid, authorities seized computer equipment and storage devices believed to contain illicit material. An examination of the seized devices revealed that Morrison had accumulated a total of 5,600 child abuse images over a period spanning from 2012 to 2016. Of these images, 5,580 were classified as Category C, indicating a lower level of severity, but still illegal. However, alarmingly, 14 images were identified as Category A, the most serious classification, indicating the presence of the most severe forms of child exploitation material.

Following the investigation, Morrison, aged 37, was charged with multiple offenses, including making and possessing indecent photographs of children. His court appearance at Carlisle Crown Court was marked by a guilty plea to three counts of creating indecent images and one count of possession. The court heard that the images included 14 in Category A, six in Category B, and the remaining 5,580 in Category C. The offenses were committed over a period from February 2012 to April of the previous year.

Judge Barbara Forrester, presiding over the case, requested additional background information about Morrison before proceeding with sentencing. Morrison was granted bail and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 23 at Carlisle Crown Court. The court also ordered Morrison to sign the sex offenders’ register for a period of five years and imposed a 10-year sexual harm prevention order to restrict his future activities.

In delivering the sentence, Judge Peter Hughes QC addressed Morrison directly, stating, “You were a man with a dirty little secret. You were of good character, in good employment, respected in the community. But at home, at night, you were doing sadly what too many others do, and were accessing child pornography.” The judge’s comments underscored the betrayal of trust and the severity of the criminal conduct committed by Morrison, who was once considered a respected figure in Penrith. The case highlights the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to combat child exploitation and protect vulnerable victims from such heinous crimes.