Southsea paedophile who had indecent photos of teenage girls spared jail after responding well to treatment

David Morris, 39, was caught out by police who turned up at his Shaftesbury Road address where they found indecent images of teenage girls aged between 14 - 17 years.

Portsmouth Crown Court was told Morris, who was handed a six month suspended prison term for two years in March 2018 after pleading guilty to two charges of making indecent images of children, was in breach of his sentence after the discovery.

Police turned up at Morris’ address to carry out a routine search after his sentence in March last year where they discovered three category B and two Category C images on his laptop.

A subsequent search of his address in May revealed the defendant had three Category B and eight Category C images on a USB device.

Prosecutor Andy Houston told the court: ‘Police found the images after visiting his address. They seized his laptop and a USB device which had indecent images of teenage girls aged between 14 - 17 years.

‘Mr Morris had failed to notify the police of the devices. They also found search terms such as “teen pornography”.

‘During police interview he said he knew the images were there and admitted having an interest in children aged 14 years upwards.’

Defending Rob Harding told the court Morris had ‘significant mental health problems’ but had been responding well to treatment.

Judge Roger Hetherington told Morris: ‘You acknowledge the problem you have with pornography. Before your mental health was in decline and was untreated and you were sectioned and sent to a secure unit for two months.

‘You have turned a corner now though and are responding well to treatment and your mental health has improved.’

He added: ‘The guidelines say where there is significant prospect of rehabilitation then a community order can be an alternative to prison.

‘I think you are suitable for a program (of rehabilitation). I would rather continue treatment than send you to prison.’

Morris was given a three year community order including 20 rehabilitation days and was told to attend a sex offenders program. A sexual harm prevention order was also made for five years.

‘If you breach again you will almost certainly go to prison,’ the judge added.