MARTIN GOUGH FROM NEWQUAY SENTENCED FOR POSSESSING EVIL CHILD IMAGES

In September 2011, a disturbing case emerged involving Martin Gough, a resident of Higher Tower Road in Newquay, who was found guilty of possessing a large collection of indecent images of children. The authorities uncovered approximately 1,500 photographs depicting young boys, which Gough had stored on his personal computers. This revelation led to his arrest and subsequent court proceedings, highlighting the serious nature of his offenses.

Gough, aged 51 at the time, faced multiple charges—specifically 15 counts of making and possessing indecent images of minors. During police interviews, he admitted to having an interest in boys aged between 8 and 14 years old. However, he insisted that he only viewed the images and did not distribute or share them with others. Despite his claims, the court recognized the gravity of possessing such material, emphasizing the harm and exploitation involved.

At Truro Crown Court, Judge Christopher Elwen delivered the sentence, underscoring the severity of the crime. He stated, "The evil of this offending is that these images, whether to be looked at or downloaded and stored, result from the significant exploitation of children. The welfare of children is a matter of grave concern. It is impossible to quantify the danger, physically, emotionally and psychologically, to children whose images are posted on the net, but so long as people do what you have admitted, the exploitation carries on."

As part of his punishment, Gough was handed a two-year community order. This included supervision and mandatory participation in an internet sex offender programme. Additionally, he was ordered to register as a sex offender for five years, a measure designed to monitor his activities and prevent further offenses. The court also imposed a sexual offences prevention order, which grants police the authority to examine his computers at any time and prohibits him from deleting his internet history, ensuring ongoing oversight.

Furthermore, Gough was instructed to contribute £500 towards prosecution costs. Prosecutor Philip Lee noted that most of the images found were at the lower end of the severity scale, although some fell into the more serious categories. At the time of his arrest, Gough was living with his mother and was described as a man of previously good character. His defense solicitor, Mike Gregson, stated that Gough had already taken steps to address his issues, including resigning from his job, indicating some level of remorse and acknowledgment of the problem.

This case underscores the ongoing concerns surrounding the possession and distribution of child exploitation images, and the importance of rigorous legal action to protect vulnerable minors from such heinous exploitation.