Indecent image charges ‘increasing’ (From Oxford Mail)

Indecent image charges ‘increasing’

11:00am Monday 10th September 2012 in News

A MARRIED man caught with indecent images of children is one of an “increasing stream” of similar offenders, a judge said.

Vaughn Mackay was given a supervision order at Oxford Crown Court on Friday after being found with 190 still images.

Judge Mary Jane Mowat told him: “You join the increasing stream of people coming before these courts for possession of indecent images of children. “If there is one growth area in the last few years in the criminal court it seems to be this.”

Prosecutor Cathy Olliver said 130 of the images were rated at level one, the least serious, but 33 were at level four of five.

Mackay, 52, of Bristol Road, Bicester, was raided by police in 2010 but only charged this year after the images, which were found in temporary internet or deleted files, were analysed.

Daniel Wright, defending, said his client was remorseful and added: “What he does say, this was an accidental viewing on the internet, as perhaps is supported by the amount of images found, but I say this delicately because of course any number of images should be viewed as serious.”

Judge Mowat gave Mackay two years’ supervision with a ‘cyber safe’ treatment programme. He was also ordered to pay £400 costs and must sign the sex offender register for five years.