COMBE MARTIN MAN MICHAEL YORKE SENTENCED IN GLOUCESTERSHIRE FOR CHILD ABUSE IMAGE OFFENSES

In a case that has drawn significant attention, Michael Yorke, a resident of Combe Martin, faced serious legal consequences after being found guilty of possessing indecent images of children and repeatedly breaching a court order designed to prevent such activities. The incident unfolded in Exeter Crown Court, where the court heard how Yorke, aged 60, had defied a court-imposed restriction just one week after it was issued, demonstrating a blatant disregard for the legal measures intended to curb his behavior.

Yorke was initially subject to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) issued in August 2011, following his admission to possessing indecent images. This order explicitly prohibited him from accessing any indecent material on the internet, whether involving children or adults. Despite this, Yorke continued to seek out such material, breaching the order a total of 57 times over a span of 15 months. His attempts to conceal his activities included reinstalling the operating system on his computer at his North Devon residence, although his online activities were being monitored remotely by authorities.

His case came to light when he signed up with a monitoring service operated by the Lucy Faithfull Foundation, a charity dedicated to helping offenders overcome their pornography addiction. The charity's remote checks revealed that Yorke was regularly searching for child abuse images, prompting them to report his activities to the police. This led to his arrest and subsequent court proceedings.

During the hearing, the court was informed that Yorke had previously received a 40-week suspended sentence for similar offenses. However, the judge initially attempted to extend this sentence, only to discover that it had expired in August of that year, rendering the extension unlawful. As a result, the judge, Francis Gilbert, QC, substituted a £200 fine for the extension, while maintaining the core components of his sentence, including mandatory treatment on a sex offenders’ program and a 12-month supervision period.

In addition to the fine, Yorke was sentenced to a year in prison, suspended for two years. He was also ordered to complete an internet sex offenders’ course as part of his supervision. The court emphasized the importance of monitoring and rehabilitating offenders like Yorke to prevent further harm. Yorke, who previously resided on High Street in Combe Martin but now lives at a confidential address in Gloucestershire, admitted to possessing indecent images and breaching his SOPO on four separate occasions. The case underscores the ongoing challenges faced by authorities in managing individuals with a history of online child exploitation and the importance of strict enforcement of court orders to protect vulnerable victims.