STEPHEN THOMPSON OF NORTH CUMBRIA SENTENCED FOR INDECENT IMAGES OF CHILDREN IN PENRITH

In December 2012, Stephen Thompson, a 43-year-old man from North Cumbria, was ordered to register as a sex offender for five years after being found in possession of indecent images of young children as young as eight. Thompson, residing at Glasson Court in Penrith, was convicted of four counts of creating indecent images dating back to January 2010. Following a trial last month, he appeared before magistrates in Carlisle for sentencing.

Prosecutor Pam Ward explained that the images were discovered on Thompson's laptop during a police search of his home, during which officers seized his computer and other items. She stated, "He had visited a number of sexual sites. A piece of paper found in a bathroom cabinet had addresses for various internet sites of a sexual nature."

Rachel Broughton, Thompson’s defense attorney, told the court that her client was relieved that the legal process was nearing its end. She added, "He might have to leave his current accommodation, and he was worried about the impact on his job as a self-employed courier driver."

Thompson received a two-year community order with supervision, was placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for five years, and was subject to a five-year sex offender prevention order. He was also instructed to complete an internet sex offenders’ program. The court convicted him of making an indecent image of a child approximately eight years old, creating images of a child aged nine to ten, twelve to thirteen, and possessing various photographs of children aged between eight and sixteen. Additionally, he was ordered to pay £500 towards court costs.