MARK ANDREWS FROM MARYPORT SENTENCED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY AT CHILDREN'S CENTRE

In December 2007, Mark Andrews, a 25-year-old resident of Maryport, was convicted of possessing a significant collection of indecent images of children and was subsequently sentenced to prison. The case was heard at Carlisle Crown Court, where it was revealed that Andrews had deliberately sought employment opportunities that would place him in close proximity to young people, raising serious concerns about his intentions and behavior.

Andrews was caught in the act while working at a children’s adventure centre, a position that provided him with direct contact with minors. Prior to this, he had been employed at various outdoor activity centres catering to young children, demonstrating a pattern of seeking roles that involved working with children. His employment history also included a stint as an official photographer at the Junior Eurovision Song Contest last year, further highlighting his interest in environments involving children and youth.

At the time of his arrest, Andrews was living with his parents on Church Street in Dearham, Maryport. The court heard that he was found to possess a total of 2,705 images classified as Category One, which is considered the least serious level of indecency on a scale of one to five. In addition, he had 56 images in Category Two, 36 in Category Three, and 27 in Category Four, indicating a disturbing accumulation of illicit material.

Following the discovery of the images in February, a workmate of Andrews’s found the pictures while using a computer to check emails. The colleague reported the find to Andrews’s employers, who then contacted law enforcement authorities. When questioned by police, Andrews admitted to possessing the images, reportedly stating, “It is a disease. I have tried to stop.”

Judge Nicholas Barker sentenced Andrews to seven months in prison after he pleaded guilty to four charges of possessing indecent images of children. The court also ordered Andrews to register as a sex offender for a period of ten years and imposed a lifelong ban on him working with children, reflecting the severity of his offenses.

Prosecutor Jenny Ashworth clarified that there was no evidence to suggest Andrews had taken or possessed images of children he was working with at the activity centre. Her comments aimed to reassure the public that the images were not related to any children he interacted with professionally.

In mitigation, Andrews’s defense lawyer, Alison Whalley, emphasized that her client recognized he had a serious problem. She stated, “This is a man who appreciates he has a difficulty. He says he does not want to do bad things.” Whalley argued that sending Andrews to prison might hinder his chances of receiving the help he needed to address his issues, highlighting the importance of rehabilitation over punishment in this case.