MARK HARVEY FROM BODICOTE ESCAPES JAIL AFTER CHILD IMAGE DOWNLOADS INDICTING HIM IN OXFORD

In December 2017, a disturbing case involving Mark Harvey, a resident of Bodicote, came to light when it was revealed that he had been involved in the possession and download of indecent images of children over a span of nearly a decade. Despite the severity of the charges, Harvey, aged 52, was spared imprisonment and received a community order during his sentencing at Oxford Crown Court.

Prosecutor Nigel Ogbourne outlined the details of the case, explaining that law enforcement officials first visited Harvey’s residence on High Street, Bodicote, at approximately 6:55 a.m. on February 9. The police action was prompted by intelligence suggesting illegal activity, leading to the seizure of an Acer laptop from Harvey’s home. Forensic analysis of the device uncovered a disturbing collection of images and videos, including two of the most severe Category A images, five of Category B, and 175 of Category C, along with one Category C film. The court was informed that these files appeared to have been deleted prior to the seizure, as they were 'inaccessible' during the forensic examination.

While the exact dates of the files could not be pinpointed, they were believed to have been created between February 2008 and February of the arrest year. The investigation also revealed search terms indicative of child exploitation, such as 'Lolita,' 'pre-teen models,' and 'teen escorts Oxford,' suggesting that Harvey actively sought out such material.

During sentencing, Judge Ian Pringle expressed his condemnation of the material found, stating, “Certainly as far as the more extreme images are concerned, anyone who has had the misfortune, as I have had, to look at them, they are truly obscene. To think that there is no victim is wholly wrong; the victim is that little child being abused in these images.” The judge also noted that Harvey appeared to have accepted responsibility when police arrived at his home.

As part of his sentence, Harvey was ordered to complete a two-hour community order, which includes a 60-day rehabilitation activity requirement and participation in the Cyber Safe programme. Additionally, he was ordered to pay £480 in costs. The court also ordered that the seized machine and all images be forfeited and destroyed, emphasizing the seriousness of the offense and the importance of safeguarding children from exploitation.