MARSHALL TAYLOR FROM CORSHAM SENTENCED FOR CHILD ABUSE AND INDECENT IMAGES IN SWINDON

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Corsham, Marshall Taylor, formerly known as Mark Benjamin, has been convicted and sentenced for a series of heinous sexual offences involving minors. The 56-year-old, who was residing at Wain Close, Pennarth, in Glamorgan at the time of his arrest, was found guilty of abusing two boys and collecting a vast collection of indecent images of children.

Taylor's criminal activities came to light after a police search of his residence on May 20 of the previous year. During the search, authorities seized multiple electronic devices, which were later revealed to contain over 1,500 indecent images, including some classified as the most severe category of child exploitation material. The devices also held two videos depicting child abuse, which Taylor later admitted to creating. Furthermore, he pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual touching of a minor, as well as filming a third abusive video and possessing images categorized under Category A, B, C, and extreme content.

The investigation identified the young boys involved in the videos, both of whom are now adults. One of the victims cooperated with authorities and provided a statement recounting the abuse he endured. The case was brought before Swindon Crown Court, where a jury unanimously found Taylor guilty on December 15, 2022, of causing a child to watch a sexual act and two counts of inducing a child to engage in sexual activity.

Despite being on bail, Taylor continued to access and possess further extreme images, demonstrating a continued pattern of offending. His actions culminated in a sentencing hearing today, where he was convicted of a total of ten offences. The court sentenced him to eight years in prison and imposed a sexual harm prevention order that will remain in effect until 2038, aiming to prevent any further harm and protect potential future victims from his predatory behavior.