Portsmouth victim of Jimmy Savile sexual abuse is convicted for handing out indecent image of young girl

A MAN who claims he was a victim of sexual abuse by Jimmy Savile has been convicted for distributing an indecent image of a child.
Steven George outside Portsmouth Crown Court Picture: Solent News & Photo AgencySteven George outside Portsmouth Crown Court Picture: Solent News & Photo Agency
Steven George outside Portsmouth Crown Court Picture: Solent News & Photo Agency

Steven George, who was born Alizon Pink and whose father was former Portsmouth South MP Ralph Bonner Pink, was sentenced at Portsmouth Crown Court yesterday.

George had handed the indecent image of a young girl to a News journalist in the court’s corridor on the day of a friend’s sentencing on November 2.

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He had pleaded not guilty before a trial due to start yesterday when George, who was not represented, asked a judge to dismiss the case, stating that he would not have received a fair hearing.

But Judge Christopher Parker QC ruled that the trial should proceed leading George to change his plea to guilty at the last minute before a jury was sworn in.

The 64-year-old told the judge: ‘There was no motivation and no sexual motivation to commit a crime. I was doing something for a friend.

‘I could not take the document to a barrister and after giving it to the journalist, I realised it was too late.

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‘There was no motive to commit a crime. I do not look at pornography.

‘I made an error of judgement in handing it to the journalist. When I handed it to him, I thought it was not a problem.

‘It is very difficult for me. I am a victim of sexual abuse. I was abused right into my late 20s. I was not intending to commit a crime whatsoever. It is too late now and I full accept that. I am somebody that has had no experience of pornography whatsoever.’

George was a former patient at Broadmoor Hospital, where he claimed Savile sexually abused him while he was a woman.

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He went public with the accusations in 2012 following the predatory sex offender’s death in 2011.

George, of Balliol Road, Buckland stood as a parliamentary candidate for the Justice & Anti-Corruption Party in Portsmouth North at the 2015 general election.

Ahead of George changing his plea, Judge Parker said: ‘The issue here is whether or not a jury would be sure that the girl in the image was under 18.

‘There can be no dispute that the image was distributed.

‘His own personal history is entirely irrelevant to this case and his lack of sexual motivation is not enough to be a defence.

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‘It is not unfair for him to be tried and for the count to be on the indictment.’

In his sentencing, the judge added: ‘The motivation for providing the photo was not the purpose of sexual gratification.

‘Your behaviour was completely misguided but this is not a case where you see a paedophile seeking to distribute indecent images to others.’

In response, George apologised ‘for wasting the court’s time’.

George was given a conditional discharge for 12 months and was also placed on the sex offenders’ register for the next year.

The judge also ordered that the image be destroyed following the hearing.