Long Itchington man admits to child porn cache

Andrew Martin had pleaded not guilty at Warwick Crown Court to three charges of making indecent images of children and three of possessing such images.

But on the day of his trial, Martin, 43, of Southam Road, Long Itchington, pleaded guilty to all six charges.

The court heard that between 2001 and his arrest in August last year he had made indecent photos of children, covering all three categories of seriousness, by downloading them.

Nick Devine, defending, did not request a pre-sentence report to be prepared and instead asked for Martin to be sentenced straight away. He said: “The total number of images is 24 and the evidence would suggest the latest of those was downloaded in 2003.”

Mr Devine added that Martin had already been remanded in custody for six months, which was the equivalent of a 12-month sentence.

Judge Sylvia de Bertodano said the sentencing range was 26 weeks to three years. She also observed that Martin’s original explanation for the images was that his son was responsible.

Adjourning for a pre-sentence report, and remanding Martin in custody, Judge de Bertodano told him: “It seems to me with offences of this kind, and with you being a father of young children, that a pre-sentence report is required.”