LYNDON NIXON FROM WALLINGTON ESCAPES JAIL AFTER CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CASE AT KINGSTON CROWN COURT

In a recent case heard at Kingston Crown Court, Lyndon Nixon, a 43-year-old resident of Wallington, narrowly avoided imprisonment after admitting to possessing indecent images of children. Nixon, who worked as a cab controller for Wallington Cars and Couriers, appeared before the court to face charges related to his online activities involving child pornography.

According to court records, Nixon pleaded guilty to six counts of possessing indecent images of children during an earlier hearing held in January. The case came to light after an investigation was initiated by an IT engineer who examined a computer used by Nixon. The engineer discovered a virus on the device, which led to the detection of inappropriate material stored on the system. This discovery prompted the company to take action, resulting in Nixon's dismissal from his position.

It was revealed that Nixon, who often worked night shifts alone at the Wallington Square-based firm, was arrested on May 16 of the previous year. The arrest followed a report from Clive Palmer, the managing director of Wallington Cars and Couriers, who contacted the police after the suspicious activity was identified. During the investigation, authorities found that although Nixon did not intentionally store the images on his computer's hard drive, he had been searching for terms such as “teenage boys” and “teen sex” on various internet search engines. These searches raised suspicion and contributed to the case against him.

Further examination of Nixon’s online activity revealed that he accessed over 3,000 websites, predominantly related to adult pornography. Among these sites, approximately 100 images depicting indecent content involving children were recovered. The court was informed that many of these images were duplicates, which somewhat reduced the overall number of unique images involved.

During the court proceedings, Nixon’s defense attorney, Jane Carpenter, argued that the number of child pornography images was not as extensive as it initially appeared. She explained that Nixon had become bored during his late-night shifts and, after being shown how to operate the computer, began exploring various websites. Ms. Carpenter emphasized that Nixon did not share or distribute the images and that they were solely for his personal curiosity. She also highlighted Nixon’s financial difficulties, noting that he was burdened with significant debts following his job loss. Additionally, she mentioned that Nixon was prescribed strong anti-depressants by his doctor, and his wife had declared herself bankrupt.

Judge Charles Tilling, presiding over the case, delivered the sentencing. He acknowledged the seriousness of the material involved but noted that it was on the borderline of what the Court of Appeal considers suitable for custody. The judge pointed out that Nixon had no prior convictions and that there was no evidence suggesting he intended to distribute the images. As a result, Nixon was sentenced to a three-year community rehabilitation order, which required him to participate regularly in the London Area Probationary Community Sex Offender programme. Furthermore, he was placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for a period of five years, marking a significant but non-custodial consequence of his actions.