CHICHESTER SEX OFFENDER MARTIN SHEEN SENT BACK TO PRISON OVER CHILD INDECENT IMAGES

In a disturbing case that highlights ongoing concerns about repeat offenders, Martin Sheen, a 47-year-old man from Chichester, has been sentenced to additional time behind bars after being found to possess and distribute indecent images of children. The Sussex Police confirmed that Sheen’s latest conviction stems from his continued attempts to access and share illicit material involving minors, despite having previously served time for similar offenses.

Sheen appeared before Portsmouth Crown Court on Friday, March 9, where he pleaded guilty to multiple charges related to child exploitation. The court sentenced him to two years in prison for his actions, which included distributing indecent photographs of children, making three separate indecent images, and breaching a Sexual Offence Prevention Order (SOPO).

According to police statements, Sheen’s criminal history is extensive. In June 2011, he was convicted on 24 counts, including making and distributing indecent images of children, possessing extreme pornographic material, and inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity. As part of that sentence, he received a two-year imprisonment term and was subject to a SOPO that severely restricted his access to children and computers, aiming to prevent further offenses.

Despite these restrictions, authorities revealed that in 2017, the Sussex Police Paedophile Online Investigation Team (POLIT) received information indicating that Sheen had uploaded an indecent image of a child onto the internet. This prompted a warrant to be executed at his residence in Chichester in October of that year. During the search, officers examined his van and discovered a small locked compartment in the rear. The keys to this compartment were found on Sheen’s keyring, and inside, police uncovered a rucksack containing a laptop with 511 indecent images of children stored on it.

Following his arrest, Sheen relocated to an address in Cornwall. However, his criminal activities did not cease, leading to his recent conviction and sentencing. Sussex Police emphasized the importance of ongoing investigations into offenders like Sheen, who continue to pose a significant threat to the safety of children and the community at large.