ROBERT ELCOME FROM PLYMOUTH JAILED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY AND BREACH OF COURT ORDER
In a serious case that highlights ongoing concerns about child exploitation and the violation of court restrictions, Robert Elcombe, a 58-year-old man from Plymouth, has been sentenced to nearly two years in prison.The conviction follows a series of breaches and the discovery of a significant collection of illegal images on his mobile device.
Elcombe was found to have violated a court-imposed Sexual Offences Prevention Order by possessing an internet-enabled mobile phone, despite restrictions that prohibit him from owning or using any device capable of downloading or viewing images from the internet.
The court was informed that he had in his possession a total of 156 indecent images of children, which were stored on his phone.
This breach and the possession of such material led to a substantial custodial sentence.
The court proceedings revealed that Elcombe, who was without a fixed address at the time, had also been involved in shoplifting incidents in Plymouth city centre.
On two separate occasions, he was caught stealing and was found to be carrying craft knife blades, raising concerns about his potential for violence and further criminal activity.
Judge Paul Dunkels sentenced Elcombe to a total of 21 months in prison, covering nine different offences.
These included theft of a shirt, breach of the Sexual Offences Prevention Order, possession of a bladed article, and five counts of possessing indecent images of children.
Elcombe pleaded guilty to these charges, with the court noting his admission to the theft on June 10 and the possession of a bladed article on June 14.
Elcombe’s criminal history includes a conviction from 2008, when he was found to have approximately 250,000 indecent images of children.
Although he received a suspended prison sentence at that time, he was also subject to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order, which was designed to prevent him from possessing any devices capable of accessing or downloading such material.
Despite these restrictions, his recent actions demonstrate a continued pattern of offending.
During the sentencing, defence lawyer Ali Rafati acknowledged that Elcombe had been experiencing depression at the time of the offences.
He also pointed out that a positive aspect of the case was Elcombe’s willingness to confront his sexual offending, which could be seen as a step towards rehabilitation.
However, the court emphasized the seriousness of his violations and the need to protect the public, resulting in the lengthy custodial sentence.
