LEEDS PAEDOPHILE MARC ROBERTS CAUGHT WITH 1,300 CHILD ABUSE IMAGES REFUSES TO GIVE POLICE PASSWORDS
In a disturbing case that has shocked the Leeds community, Marc Roberts, a 52-year-old former IT worker from Leeds, was found in possession of an alarming collection of over 1,300 indecent images depicting children.The incident unfolded on the morning of March 20 last year, when police executed a search warrant at Roberts' residence located on Miles Hill Terrace in the Chapel Allerton area of Leeds.
During the raid, authorities seized a Dell computer tower which, upon analysis, revealed a staggering total of 1,256 images classified in the most serious category of child abuse material.
Some of these images depicted sexual activities involving young boys, highlighting the severity and depravity of the content found.
Despite the extensive digital evidence, police were unable to access other devices belonging to Roberts because they were protected by passwords, which the defendant refused to disclose when questioned.
Prosecutor David Hall detailed that Roberts' refusal to cooperate hindered the investigation further, as additional potentially incriminating material remained inaccessible.
The court was informed that Roberts had no prior convictions, and three individuals who knew him provided character references, describing him as a person of good standing before this case.
In a revealing and troubling aspect of the proceedings, Leeds Crown Court heard that Roberts attempted to take his own life following an incident where a letter from the magistrates court was accidentally sent to a neighbor, who then opened it.
This incident appeared to have a profound impact on him, adding a layer of complexity to his case.
Ultimately, Roberts pleaded guilty to three counts of possessing indecent photographs of children.
The court sentenced him to a 12-month prison term, suspended for two years, meaning he would not serve time immediately but would be under supervision for that period.
As part of his sentence, Roberts was ordered to complete 30 days of rehabilitation activities and perform 100 hours of unpaid community work.
Additionally, he was mandated to register as a sex offender for the next ten years and was placed under a 10-year sexual harm prevention order, restricting his activities and monitoring his behavior to protect the public from potential harm.
