By Dave Gudgeon

Last updated at 15:40, Tuesday, 23 September 2008

A Carlisle pervert who poses a threat to young boys is today behind bars after viewing hundreds of porn images in the city library.

Mark Bowness: Represents a danger to young boys

Mark Bowness kept a diary at his home which detailed his sick fantasies about having sex with young children.

He was arrested by police after he tried to chat up a 10-year-old boy on a bus before touching his arm.

The 38-year-old was also caught viewing hundreds of sordid child porn images at the city’s Lanes library.

Bowness, who used to live at Ellesmere Way, Morton, was jailed for a total of 30 months at the city’s crown court yesterday.

He was also made the subject of a sex offences prevention order for the next 10 years in a bid to keep him away from children.

If he breaches that order by approaching youngsters or allowing them into his home then he faces the prospect of going to prison for another five years.

Judge Barbara Forrester told Bowness that, on his own admission in statements to police and probation staff, he represented a danger to young boys.

She believed he would continue to try and engage young men in relationships because he appeared unable or unwilling to curb his behaviour.

Bowness admitted one count of common assault and another of committing an offence with intent to commit a sexual assault.

He also admitting 21 counts of possessing child pornography, including images of children engaging in sexual activity.

The court heard he also had numerous previous convictions for indecent exposure and another of outraging public decency dating back to last year.

Prosecutor Tim Storrie said police attended Carlisle Library on January 7 this year after Bowness was spotted viewing child porn images.

They found he was in possession of 18 floppy discs which contained a total of 375 images. Some depicted children engaging in sexual activity.

Eight days later Bowness climbed aboard a bus and sat at the back alongside a 10-year-old boy and tried to engage him in conversation.

The frightened youngster, who ignored him, was then touched on the arm. But Bowness made no attempt to follow him after he got off the bus.

Bowness later said of the encounter: “I fancied him. I liked him and that’s all that matters. I want a boy to like me, then maybe they will let me have sex.”

He claimed that people did not understand his sexual preferences and regarded him as being sick and a pervert.

Madeline Wolfe, defending, said Bowness needed to be re-programmed in order that he could live within the boundaries of society.

She made it clear that he had never acted upon the ‘wants’ in his diary although he was regarded by probation staff as posing a high risk to young boys.

Judge Forrester also barred Bowness from working with children for an indefinite period and put him on the sex offenders register.

Detective Sergeant Malcolm Cotter said after the hearing that the police were pleased with the outcome.

It showed how seriously the courts viewed such behaviour.

First published at 11:50, Tuesday, 23 September 2008
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk