NEIL MARSTON SENTENCED IN NORWICH FOR HIDING INDECENT IMAGES OF CHILDREN
A convicted sex offender, Neil Marston, aged 51, has been sentenced to prison after police uncovered him hiding a device containing indecent images of children during a visit to his home in Norwich.Marston, of Quarry Lane in Lyng, had previously been issued a life-long sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) following his 2018 conviction for possessing similar images.
On April 14, this year, officers responded to his residence and found him attempting to conceal a Lynx tablet computer behind a wardrobe.
The device was later found to contain over 100 indecent images of children and two videos depicting sexual content involving minors.
During police interviews, Marston admitted to hiding the device during prior inspections carried out under the SHPO.
He claimed that the images were not illegal, describing them as “just erotic.” He appeared at Norwich Crown Court on Tuesday to be sentenced after previously pleading guilty to possessing indecent images of a child and two counts of creating indecent images of a child.
His defense lawyer, Lori Tucker, stated that the offenses had been committed “without consideration of the consequences” but that Marston now recognized that such images cause “real world harm.” She added, “These offences were committed 20 months ago and in the meantime there has been no suggestion of further reoffending.” However, a pre-sentence report revealed a “high risk” that Marston could commit further offenses involving child images and that he also posed a danger to children in person.
Judge Katharine Moore sentenced him to 15 months in prison, including three months from a suspended sentence imposed in 2018.
She criticized Marston, describing him as a “dishonest man willing to deceive and lie to authority.” The judge said, “It’s perfectly clear, despite everything that you have said, that you have a sexual attraction to children that is longstanding and enduring.
When this is taken together with your deceitful ways it mitigates against community intervention.
What is particularly concerning is that you are someone who, on the face of it, is likely to attend and engage but in reality, you are practicing deceit and carrying on regardless, and repeated prosecution has proved to be no deterrent to you.”
