JARROW SEX OFFENDERS MARC BURTON AND JOHN HARRISON SENTENCED FOR CHILD ABUSE AND ONLINE PEDOPHILIA

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Jarrow and the wider South Tyneside area, two men involved in heinous online child abuse activities have been brought to justice. Marc Burton, aged 38, and his partner, John Harrison, aged 32, were found to have engaged in the distribution and viewing of some of the most severe forms of child exploitation content, including videos depicting the rape and torture of young children.

These individuals were part of a disturbing online conferencing room where they played and shared Category A material, which is classified as the most severe and graphic form of child abuse imagery. The recordings included footage of children being raped and tortured, and during these sessions, Burton and Harrison discussed the possibility of abusing children as young as infants. The conversations and shared content revealed a disturbing level of perversion and a blatant disregard for the safety and dignity of vulnerable children.

Investigations by the National Crime Agency (NCA) uncovered that both men had participated in this online activity on multiple occasions, hosting and viewing child abuse material in dedicated chatrooms. Burton was arrested on November 1, 2017, at his residence in Jarrow. During the subsequent search, officers seized electronic devices, which contained a significant amount of illegal content, including 1,125 images and videos classified as Category A, 468 as Category B, and 381 as Category C. These images and videos depicted the most severe forms of child abuse, and their presence on Burton’s devices underscored the gravity of his offenses.

In addition to the child abuse material, the police found evidence of drug possession. Burton admitted to possessing Class A and B drugs with intent to supply, including 9.83 grams of MDMA and 45.81 grams of cannabis resin. Further searches revealed additional drugs—0.42 grams of MDMA and 2.53 grams of cannabis resin—along with more illegal images and videos, including 576 Category A, 258 Category B, and 945 Category C files. Burton acknowledged his involvement in drug distribution and possession of illegal substances.

Similarly, Harrison was also implicated in the possession and distribution of child abuse material. Both men admitted to possessing and sharing Category A and B content, as well as encouraging others to do the same. During police interviews, Burton expressed awareness that his actions were wrong but claimed that his offenses were “only online,” attempting to minimize the severity of his crimes. He provided investigators with his computer passwords and acknowledged that his devices contained illegal content.

Harrison, on the other hand, denied that his devices contained indecent images of children and attempted to shift blame onto Burton for the offenses. When confronted with evidence, including a video of both men hosting child abuse in a chatroom, Harrison refused to comment.

Today, at Newcastle Crown Court, both Burton and Harrison received sentences of two years and eight months in prison. They were also ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register for life and were issued 15-year sexual harm prevention orders, ensuring strict monitoring and restrictions to prevent further offenses. The case highlights the ongoing efforts of law enforcement agencies to combat online child exploitation and protect vulnerable victims from further harm.