MARK ROBSON IN SWINDON SENTENCED FOR ONLINE CHILD ABUSE MATERIALS, OLD TOWN

In March 2019, Mark Robson, an Old Town resident living near a primary school, was given a suspended jail sentence after being found with indecent images of children. Robson, 44, had used a search engine to look for disturbing phrases such as "five-year-old raped" and others like "girls drink vomit."

Prosecutor Coin Meeke told Swindon Crown Court that police investigation revealed that an email address associated with Robson's devices contained indecent images of children. In April 2017, officers visited Robson's home on Evelyn Street and seized his computers and mobile phone. They discovered numerous movies and pictures stored on his Dell laptop, along with peer-to-peer sharing software.

Mr. Meeke explained, "The operator of the computer had carried out a number of searches. Some of them appear to express an interest in indecent images of very young children of an extreme nature."

Initially, Robson claimed that someone else had been using his computer. Later, he stated he had been viewing adult pornography, not children. His devices, however, contained nearly 200 movies—about half of which were in the most severe category—and some photographs.

Robson pleaded guilty to six counts of making indecent images of children and one count of possessing extreme pornography. Judge Robert Pawson noted Robson’s mental health problems but considered that probation could help with his rehabilitation. The judge recommended a one-to-one programme as the best opportunity for Robson to address his issues.

Despite this, the judge delivered a stern warning about the real-world impact of Robson’s actions. "There are children somewhere on this planet who are having that done to them, and the only reason they are enduring that suffering is because individuals like you are viewing it on the internet. You are directly responsible for the sexual abuse of those children," he stated.

Ultimately, Judge Pawson sentenced Robson to 22 months in prison, suspended for two years, and ordered 45 days of rehabilitation activities. Robson is also required to register as a sex offender, comply with a sexual harm prevention order for the next decade, and pay costs amounting to £500.