MICHAEL FORSTER SHAMES WEST MALLING WITH CHILD PORNOGRAPHY SCANDAL

In a case that has sent shockwaves through the community of West Malling, the life of Michael Forster, a 46-year-old father of three, was dramatically upended after authorities uncovered disturbing evidence on his computer. The police investigation revealed that Forster had been in possession of multiple indecent images of children, leading to serious legal consequences and personal turmoil.

According to court records, Forster, who previously resided on Lapins Lane in West Malling near Maidstone, pleaded guilty to 14 counts of making indecent photographs of children. The charges stemmed from a police raid conducted on June 2, following a tip-off that linked his online activity to known child exploitation websites. During the raid, officers seized two laptops and additional computer equipment from his home, which was part of the ongoing investigation.

Prosecutor Nadine Brew explained that the police were alerted to Forster’s online dealings after he made a credit card payment to a website notorious for hosting illegal and indecent images of minors. During interviews, Forster admitted to using the internet extensively, including visiting adult content sites and maintaining memberships on certain adult websites. He acknowledged that he had viewed images of 17 and 18-year-olds but claimed that when he encountered images of children, he would simply close the pages without engaging further.

However, the evidence painted a more troubling picture. Police found that images of children were stored on his computer’s temporary files, which indicated that he had viewed such material. Additionally, email correspondence was discovered involving a woman named Maria, discussing whether she spanked her daughter on her bare bottom, further complicating the case.

During the court proceedings at Maidstone Magistrates’ Court, Forster offered no reasonable explanation for the presence of the child images on his device. His defense lawyer, Michael Hillman, highlighted the profound impact the case had on his client’s life. Hillman stated, “His life has fallen apart. He has been forced to resign from his employment as an accountant. His wife, who is a nurse, has also resigned from her position. They have moved house to start anew.”

Hillman further explained that Forster described his interest as an addiction. “He surfed the internet and looked at content that was not illegal, but inevitably, he came across sites that contained illegal pornography,” he said. Despite his guilty plea, Forster was handed a conditional discharge for three years and was ordered to pay costs of £150. The court’s decision reflected the serious nature of the charges and the damage caused to his personal and professional life, which will likely have lasting repercussions for the West Malling community.