Gymnastics coach jailed after being found with more than 17,000 indecent images of children
A children’s gymnastics coach has been jailed for more than three years after being found with 17,000 plus indecent images on his phone.
Police say Aaron Strachan (26) of Robertson Way, Sapley, Huntingdon, was arrested on suspicion of making indecent images of children in August 2024 after officers received information that he could have indecent material on his phone.
A spokesperson for Cambridgeshire police said officers found 17,147 indecent images of children on the phone.and these included 6,080 category C images, 6,028 category B images and 5,039 category A images – the most severe.
The spokesperson said: “Also found on the phone were 56 group chats from a messaging app where indecent images were requested and shared, including by Strachan.
In interview, Strachan denied any knowledge of the indecent images found on his phone.
Police say that Strachan claimed he had no idea how the material may have got there but suggested someone else could have accessed it at work.
The spokesperson said: “However, on the day his trial was due to begin, Strachan pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children and one count of distributing an indecent image or video.
He was sentenced to three years and four months in prison at Cambridge Crown Court on October 16.
He was also made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order for 20 years, to monitor any future offending, and was ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely.
Afterwards, DC Matthew Walshe said that Strachan had worked as a gymnastics coach teaching boys of a similar age to those in the images.
He said: “None of the children in the indecent images on Strachan’s phone have been found to be children he knew or worked with.
"Every one of those 17,147 images represents a child who was sexually abused or exploited.
“Strachan’s own safeguarding training will have taught him the horrific consequences such abuse carries for every child.
DC Walshe added: “Despite the weight of evidence and knowledge of his guilt, he pleaded not guilty to delay justice as long as possible before changing his plea.”.