MARK DONAGHEY FROM CHESHIRE JAILED FOR CHILD INDECENT IMAGES WHILE ON POLICE BAIL
In a disturbing case originating from Cheshire, Mark Donaghey, aged 58, of Elaine Close, Great Sutton, has been sentenced to prison after a series of serious offences involving the possession and download of indecent images of children.The case was heard at Chester Crown Court, where the court was informed that Donaghey had continued to access and download such illicit material even after being placed on police bail, highlighting a blatant disregard for legal restrictions and a high risk to public safety, especially vulnerable children.
Donaghey initially came under police suspicion in February 2023 when authorities arrested him on charges related to the possession of indecent images.
This arrest was made in connection with his breach of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO), which had been previously imposed to restrict his access to such material.
During police interviews, Donaghey chose to remain silent, offering no comment, and was subsequently released on bail pending further investigation.
However, during his period of bail, Donaghey did not cease his illicit activities.
Instead, he continued to download and possess indecent images, prompting his re-arrest and formal charging.
The court was told that the images in question were obtained over a period stretching from March 2018 to October 2023, indicating a prolonged period of offending.
Authorities seized multiple electronic devices, including computers, laptops, and several hard drives, for forensic analysis.
The forensic examination revealed a staggering amount of illegal content.
The first set of devices contained 944 indecent images classified as Category A, which is considered the most serious, along with six Category A videos.
Additionally, there were 840 images in Category B, 4,907 images in Category C, and 142 prohibited images of children.
Among these, one Category B image depicted an 18-month-old child, underscoring the disturbing nature of the material involved.
Evidence also indicated that Donaghey had used internet search terms to locate such images online.
Further analysis of devices after his rearrest uncovered even more troubling content.
This second set contained 583 Category A images and 22 videos, 459 Category B images, and 914 images plus two videos in Category C.
There were also eight prohibited images of children, reinforcing the severity of his offending.
Donaghey’s criminal history is marked by previous convictions, including an 18-month prison sentence in 2002 for attempted gross indecency with a child.
In 2005, he received an extended sentence of five years plus an additional five years for engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child aged 13 or under, as well as for outraging public decency.
A probation report described him as a
