PHILLIP MORGAN FROM GAINESBOROUGH AND SAXILBY JAILED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY OFFENCES

In a disturbing case that has shocked the local communities of Gainsborough and Saxilby, Phillip Morgan, a 46-year-old man with ties to both towns, has been sentenced to prison for possessing a significant collection of child abuse images. The court proceedings, held at Lincoln Crown Court, revealed the extent of Morgan’s criminal activities, which included the possession and creation of over 400 indecent images of children, some of which were classified as the most severe level 5 images, depicting the rape and torture of minors.

Phillip Morgan, originally from Saxilby, had been residing at Sanders Maltings in Gainsborough at the time of his arrest and subsequent court appearance. The charges against him stem from activities spanning from November 13, 2009, to April 4, 2011, during which he admitted to making indecent photographs of children. Additionally, Morgan pleaded guilty to possessing a prohibited image of a child and to two counts involving a total of 415 indecent images, which he acquired on May 12, 2011.

The court heard that Morgan’s online behavior was deeply disturbing. He engaged in internet forums and chat rooms where he made explicit requests for hardcore pre-teen images, explicitly stating that he preferred the younger the better. His online conversations also included boasts about having sexually abused children and infants, revealing a disturbing pattern of predatory behavior.

Further details emerged during the trial, indicating that Morgan attempted to shift blame onto his business partner, Paul Metcalfe, with whom he co-owned the Lincoln-based cleaning company Soniclean. Morgan used various email addresses and usernames to try to deflect suspicion, but authorities found the incriminating images stored on a laptop recovered from their Monk’s Road office.

During the court hearing, Morgan’s defense attorney, Mr. Cramner-Brown, argued that prison would be a painful experience for his client, but the judge, Judge Samson, was unequivocal in his sentencing. Morgan was sentenced to 10 months in prison and was issued a 10-year sexual offences prevention order. The judge stated, “You clearly had a perverted interest in children,” and emphasized that Morgan’s actions—viewing and requesting the abuse images—constituted participation in the exploitation of minors. The court highlighted the severity of the images, which included the rape and torture of children, and concluded that only a custodial sentence was appropriate.

Following the sentencing, Paul Metcalfe, Morgan’s former business partner, expressed his dismay and frustration. Speaking to The Standard, Metcalfe said, “I’ve known him for 15 years, and I’m devastated that he could try to implicate one of his best friends and business colleagues.” He added that Morgan had not been involved in their business since his arrest and that the incident had caused personal distress, including a police raid on his home. Despite feeling let down, Metcalfe also expressed relief that the ordeal was finally over and that he could begin to move forward.

Earlier in January 2013, Morgan had appeared before Lincoln Crown Court, where he admitted to downloading hundreds of child abuse images from the internet. His plea change came just before his scheduled trial, and he was granted conditional bail with the understanding that he would face sentencing later that week. Judge James Sampson warned Morgan to prepare himself for the inevitable, emphasizing the gravity of his crimes and the forthcoming punishment.