SIMON THOMPSON SENTENCED IN PEGSWOOD FOR INDECENT IMAGE OFFENCES AT NEWCASTLE CROWN COURT

In September 2018, Simon Thompson, a 44-year-old resident of Howard Grove in Pegswood, was handed a substantial prison sentence following his involvement in multiple serious offences related to indecent images of children. The case was heard at Newcastle Crown Court, where Thompson pleaded guilty to several charges on August 24, revealing the extent of his criminal conduct.

Thompson faced three counts of making indecent photographs of children, categorized into different severity levels: one count of a category A offence, one of category B, and one of category C. These charges stemmed from his possession and creation of illicit images involving minors, a crime that has severe legal repercussions due to the exploitation and harm involved.

The court's sentencing reflected the gravity of his actions. For the category A offence, Thompson was sentenced to 12 months in prison, to be served consecutively. This sentence was added on top of a previous penalty related to a breach of a suspended sentence, which involved three counts of making indecent photographs of children. That earlier sentence was a year in prison but was suspended for three years, meaning it was not immediately enforced unless further violations occurred. However, because of the recent charges, the suspended sentence was activated, resulting in Thompson serving an additional year behind bars.

Furthermore, Thompson was found to have violated a sexual harm prevention order, a legal restriction designed to protect the public from individuals deemed a risk due to their sexual offences. For this breach, he received an additional six months in prison, to run consecutively with his other sentences. Combining all these penalties, Thompson's total time in custody amounted to two and a half years.

In addition to the consecutive sentences, Thompson received concurrent sentences for the other two charges of making indecent photographs. He was sentenced to three months in jail for the category B offence and one month for the category C offence, with these terms running alongside the other sentences. The overall result was a comprehensive and severe punishment reflecting the seriousness of his crimes and the need to protect the community from further harm.