Man caught with more than 5,000 indecent child images given suspended sentence

Martin Ward (50) was linked to an Internet Portal (IP) address that was being used to upload indecent images of children to the internet.

Officers carried out a warrant at his home in Deerfield Road, March, on July 7 last year where they seized a number of electronic devices.

Analysis of the devices revealed 5,288 indecent images and three videos. Of the images found, 3,445 were classed as Category A – the most severe.

During a voluntary interview at March Police Station Ward admitted to holding indecent images of children across multiple devices.

Yesterday (Thursday) at Peterborough Crown Court he was sentenced to 10 months imprisonment, suspended for two years, and a given a sexual harm prevention order lasting 10 years for making indecent photographs of children, possessing extreme pornographic images of an animal and possession of prohibited images of a child.

DC Gareth Purdy, who investigated, said: “Ward stored a large number of indecent images representing vile abuse of innocent young people.

“Tackling both the creation and possession of such images is a priority for the force and we are committed to bringing those involved in this type of criminality before the courts.”

Anyone who has concerns about child abuse should contact Cambridgeshire Constabulary on 101, Children’s Social Care or the NSPCC.