Magistrate Alan Jennings Jailed for Child Porn

A youth magistrate who downloaded pornographic pictures of children could be freed from jail in just six weeks.

Former Justice of the Peace Alan Jennings had his sentenced slashed by pleading guilty to his despicable crimes at the first opportunity.

Jennings' colleagues at Bournemouth Crown Court yesterday sentenced him to 12 weeks in prison, but he will be back in his Walcot home in half that time.

His case was dealt with in Dorset because of his position as a magistrate in Wiltshire.

Last month, Jennings, pictured, who is also a former teaching assistant at a Swindon school, admitted three counts of making indecent images of children. He also pleaded guilty to three counts of possessing indecent images of children.

Jennings was caught after a DVD containing pornographic images of children was intercepted by HM Customs and Excise after it was posted to his Darnley Close address.

When child protection officers from Swindon police searched his home they found 330 indecent pictures of children, including 18 level four images ? one level below the most graphic.

Stuart Ellacott, prosecuting, said: "Some 281 were level one, 31 were level two and 18 were level four. Four of the children were under 13."

Jonathan Simpson, defending the 59-year-old former Royal Mail accountant, said: "He said to me, unprompted, that he did obtain these images, had looked at the images and derived some sexual satisfaction from the images."

Christopher Harvey Clark QC, sentencing, said: "The public has an abhorrence of these offences involving, as they do, indecent images of children.

"The particularly serious feature of this case is that you had in your possession on you computer 18 images at level four.

"And it's clear that you obtained some private and covert sexual pleasure from those images."

He accepted that Jennings had suffered a "humiliating fall from grace" but that he had to pass a custodial sentence.

Det Sgt Mike Selbie, who was in charge of the case, said Jennings' position as a magistrate made his contribution to the horrific abuse of children even more shocking.

"This isn't child pornography. This is very much child abuse," said Det Sgt Selbie.

"These children are being horrifically abused somewhere. Every photograph captures an actual situation where children have been abused.

"It is quite clear he is someone who will be upheld in the community. As a magistrate who has committed these offences it is even more disturbing "But we do know people who have a sexual interest with children look to have contact with children."

Swindon Advertiser