February 2015

Married granddad ‘lucky’ to escape prison sentence after downloading over 1,000 child abuse images

A married granddad who downloaded more than 1,000 images of child abuse  images on the internet was told by the judge he was “lucky” to escape prison

Stewart Morris (65) accessed and possessed the illegal pictures and video clips of youngsters on his home computer, during a five year period.

Morris, a retired tax inspector, who played in the orchestra at Hinckley’s Concordia Theatre, was arrested during a police inquiry, codenamed Operation Goliath, into suspected paedophile activity at the venue.

Morris was not found to be connected with any offences in relation to the orchestra or theatre – although an actor at the Concordia Theatre was jailed in June 2013 for sexual offences against young girls and possession of indecent images.

Morris, formerly of Trafford Road, Hinckley, but now of Milton Avenue, Tamworth, admitted 12 counts of downloading and possessing child pornography, between 2008 and 2013.

He was sentenced, at Leicester Crown Court, to a three year community order, with supervision, and a requirement to attend a sex offender treatment programme.

Recorder Geoffrey Solomons said: “You’re in some ways a lucky man.

“The offences you committed would amply justify you going to prison today, but it’s in the interest of the public in the long term you get supervision and treatment.

“It’s the most constructive approach to reduce any risk.

“If it wasn’t for people like you who view this material, it wouldn’t be produced by those more seriously involved in the trade, which involves degradation and serious long term harm to the children involved in it.

“I’m satisfied your remorse is genuine and you’ve voluntarily attended a (rehabilitation) course at the Lucy Faithful Foundation, at considerable financial cost to yourself.

“The delay in bringing the case to court is not of your making.”

Recorder Solomons said 10 per cent of the images were in category A – the most serious level – which involved sexual activity with children as young as eight.

Joey Kwong, prosecuting, said the defendant’s home computer equipment was seized in November 2013.

He was found to have downloaded 1,294 images and 25 movie clips.

Of those, 147 images and 10 clips were in category A.

There were 139 images and 10 motives in category B, with 1,008 images and five movies in the least serious range, category C.

Paul Tubb, mitigating, said: “He was relieved at being apprehended and spent over £1,000 attending the Lucy Foundation programme.

“His wife attended two of the sessions with him.

“He’s disgusted with himself.

“He’s been married for 40 years, has no previous convictions and made full admissions from the outset.”

Mr Tubb said a friend of Morris’s introduced him to child abuse images, which he initially indulged in out of “boredom” when his wife was away on business trips for long periods.

He added: “It was internet-based fantasy.”

Morris now accompanies his wife on business trips.

Mr Tubb said: “It’s affected his life, including not being able to see his grandchildren without other adults being present.

“He’s taken part in charity work and assisted with fetes, musical and theatrical work – and over 15 years helped raise £30,000.”

Morris will be on a sex offenders register for five years, and was given a five year sexual offences prevention order, banning unsupervised contact with children and enabling the authorities to monitor his internet use.

Detective Inspector Rich Hiom said after the case: “During our investigation into Morris we came across information which led us to look into other people linked with the theatre

January 2015

Operation Goliath: Pensioner pleads guilty to string of child sex offences

A one-time musician for Hinckley’s Concordia Theatre has admitted a string of child sex offences.

Stewart Morris, who played in the orchestra, was arrested as part of Operation Goliath – the major investigation into possible underage sex crimes linked to the Stockwell Head venue.

Morris, 65, formerly of Hinckley but now living in Tamworth, appeared at Leicester Magistrates’ Court on Friday and pleaded guilty to 12 counts of making and possessing more than 1,000 indecent images of children aged under 13.

The charges relate to both still and video images at levels A, B and C – of which level A is the most serious – over a time period of August 19 to November 1 2013.

The total number of category A images were 157, at category B there were 149 and in category C he admitted more than 1,000.

A police spokesman said most of the images related to children aged between five and 13.

The case was committed to Leicester Crown Court for sentencing on Friday February 6 as the level of offence is too high for magistrates to deal with.

Morris and a 59-year-old man were arrested last February during the Leicestershire Police Force probe into alleged child sex offences.

Detective Inspector Richard Hiom, who led the operation, said: “Operation Goliath was an investigation into a number of people who we suspected had a sexual interest in children.

“Those people were all, in some way, connected to the Concordia Theatre. There were no offences carried out at the theatre itself.”

The police and Leicestershire County Council took the unprecedented move of restricting child performance licences for the theatre when concerns first arose and it was felt the venue’s leadership were not taking child safeguarding seriously.

After working with the authority and the police this ban was lifted, a number of personnel were changed and safeguarding policies strengthened.