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Jail for shamed ex-Royal British Legion head
Disgraced former chairman of Peterborough's Royal British Legion and Sea Cadets Garry Hunt has been jailed for 12 months after more than 300 child porn images were found on his computer.
Disgraced former chairman of Peterborough's Royal British Legion and Sea Cadets Garry Hunt has been jailed for 12 months after more than 300 child porn images were found on his computer.Hunt (53), of Marsham, Orton Goldhay, Peterborough, was also sentenced by Peterborough Crown Court yesterday to sign on the sex-offender register for 10 years and is banned from having contact with children under the age of 17, forbidding him to take part in an organised activity where he would be supervising children. His computer equipment will also be destroyed.
Hunt had been found guilty at Peterborough Crown Court on January 7 of making hundreds of indecent images of children. He had been cleared of possessing indecent images.
The court heard how he was found with 326 photos on his computer, including two at level five on the Copine scale, the most serious category of images, which had been downloaded on the computer between March 2007 and May 2008.
Defending Alex Milne said: "This is a man whose life is in ruins. Friends have shunned him, his wife has left him and has instigated divorce proceedings.
"Everything he had has been taken from him. The ignominy and stigma is punishment itself."
But Judge Peter de Mille said: "It is not surprising you are no longer welcome at the Sea Cadets or at the Royal British Legion where you were a respected member and officer for that great organisation.
"Every one of these images is a picture of a child being abused or assaulted and those who make these images, like you, encourage that abuse.
"You were a respected member of society and you have lost that, but these offences remain so serious only a custodial sentence can be justified."
Peterborough Sea Cadets' current chairman Marion Todd said: "He is finally paying the penalty for what he has done. This is something he will have to live with for the rest of his life."
President of Peterborough branch of the Royal British Legion Langford Smith said: "I think most people would say they were surprised and sorry to hear about it, as he got on well with people."
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Wednesday 08 February 2012
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