The judge said this was because a short prison sentence, as required by sentencing guidelines, would not change the offender’s behaviour.

A PUNCHESTON man has been sentenced after police discovered more than 1,000 indecent images and videos of children on his electronic devices.

Thomas Becton, 40, was arrested after officers executed a warrant at his home on the morning of February 2 last year. Prosecutor Caitlin Brazel told the court that police seized multiple devices, including a phone, laptop, handheld console, flash drives, and a computer tower.

A forensic analysis uncovered 11 Category A videos—the most serious classification—along with five Category B videos. In addition, officers found 1,011 images and 17 videos in Category C. Further examination revealed that Becton had made 52 online searches related to child sexual abuse.

When interviewed by police, Becton admitted that the illegal material belonged to him. He later pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children, corresponding to the different categories found on his devices.

“Abhorrent offences”

Defence solicitor Emily Bennett acknowledged the severity of the crimes, stating: “Being in possession of such materials is abhorrent, for which there is no excuse. He recognises the harm inflicted upon children for this.”

Bennett told the court that Becton had been “open about his unhealthy attraction to children” with the probation service and had begun steps to address his behaviour.

Since his arrest, Becton—who is a qualified IT professional—resigned from his job as a supermarket delivery driver.

Judge’s Verdict

Sentencing him at Swansea Crown Court, HH Judge Catherine Richards said: “You accept that you have a sexual interest in children. Those images involved real children being harmed, and by your actions, you have supported the pain and suffering caused to them.”

She acknowledged that cases like this were a sad reality of how frequently such offences come before the courts. However, she explained that sentencing guidelines placed certain constraints on the punishment that could be imposed.

While an immediate prison sentence might seem the obvious response given the severity of the case, she noted that the relatively short term allowed under the guidelines would not provide Becton with sufficient time to address his behaviour through rehabilitation.

Becton received a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for two years. As part of his punishment, he must complete 150 hours of unpaid work, participate in the iHorizon programme, and attend 25 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

He was also ordered to register as a sex offender for a decade. A separate hearing was scheduled to determine the details of a sexual harm prevention order sought by the Crown Prosecution Service.