MICHAEL MORRISON FROM MARYPORT BUSTED FOR CHILD ABUSE IMAGES IN CUMBRIA AND STRANRAER

In a case that has shocked the local community of Maryport, a man was compelled to leave his residence after it was revealed that he had been viewing and possessing illegal child abuse images. Michael Morrison, aged 48, became the subject of police investigation following reports from residents who discovered his disturbing online activity.

According to court records, Morrison, who was formerly residing on Crosby Street in Maryport but has since moved to Stranraer, admitted to multiple charges related to the possession and distribution of indecent images of children. During his appearance at Carlisle Crown Court, Morrison pleaded guilty to three separate offences involving child abuse images.

The charges included distributing an indecent image of a child on September 4, 2019, downloading 24 Category B images—considered the second most serious category of child abuse images—and another offence involving the possession of 68 Category C images, which are deemed less severe but still illegal. The prosecution, led by Gerard Rogerson, outlined that the offences came to light in March of the previous year when police officers executed a search warrant at Morrison’s residence and seized his mobile device, an iPhone.

Forensic analysis of the device revealed a disturbing collection of illegal images. Between July 12, 2019, and September 4, 2019, Morrison had downloaded and stored a total of 92 child abuse images on his phone. All of these images remained accessible and had not been deleted, meaning they could be viewed at any time, which further compounded the severity of the case.

Investigators also uncovered evidence of Morrison’s involvement in WhatsApp conversations with another man, where both individuals acknowledged their interest in viewing sexual images of minors. Initially, Morrison and the other man exchanged adult pornography, with Morrison expressing a preference for 17-year-olds. However, a message found on Morrison’s phone revealed a more disturbing detail: he had sent a sexual image of a girl estimated to be between 12 and 13 years old, classified as a Category C indecent image.

When questioned by police, Morrison initially denied any online communication with others and claimed that no illegal images would be found on his device. He stated that the images he received from the other man were “nude images” and that the individuals depicted were getting “younger and younger.” Morrison also claimed that his comment about the images being “nice” was made out of politeness, and he believed the girl in the image he sent was 17 years old.

Judge Nicholas Barker, presiding over the case, expressed the view that Morrison presented a realistic chance for rehabilitation. As a result, he sentenced Morrison to an 18-month community order, which includes 25 days of rehabilitative activities. Additionally, Morrison is required to complete 150 hours of unpaid work and will be registered as a sex offender for five years, reflecting the serious nature of his offences and the ongoing risk posed to the community.