A JUDGE told a Brampton man prosecuted for downloading and distributing indecent child images: “Behind every image that is made and distributed is a child who has been sexually abused.”

Judge David Potter made the comment as he sentenced 29-year-old Jon Bamkin for two offences which he admitted: downloading two Category C abuse images and distributing Category B abuse images.

Prosecutor Brendan Burke said the offences came to light when police raided the defendant’s then home in Carlisle in September, 2021.

“The officers seized his phone and two Category C indecent images were found and the defendant made full admissions, volunteering the further distribution offence,” said Mr Burke. It was only Bamkin's own admissions that allowed police to charge him with the distribution offence, said Mr Burke. 

The only other matter on the defendant's record was a caution for cultivating a cannabis plant, the court heard.

Judith McCullough, defending, said that before the offences came to light Bamkin was in full-time work and living with his partner but as a direct result of his own actions his life had changed.

He had lost his job and he now lives with his parents. “He has learned a salutary lesson,” said the barrister. “His remorse and regret are genuine. He pleaded guilty at the first opportunity.

“The defendant himself still struggles with the question of why he accessed those small number of images. He hasn’t sought to evade his responsibility and he provided more detail than that which could have been shown.”

Further exploration of the defendant’s motivation would benefit both the defendant and wider society. Miss McCullough said the offence was out of character and Bamkin himself was “shocked and disgusted with himself.”

“Not just for what he has done,” said the barrister. “But also for the way in which he has let all of those people who placed their trust in him down.” He now wanted to rebuild his life.

Miss McCullough added that there was a very real prospect of rehabilitation.

Judge David Potter noted that Bamkin, of Dacre Road, Brampton, had himself volunteered to police the information about his distribution offence but he said the court was satisfied that the defendant clearly had an interest in indecent images of children.

He had expressed genuine remorse and already experienced punishment because his life had been turned upside down, having lost his job and having left the home were he was in a stable relationship, said the judge.

But Judge Potter pointed out that each indecent image shows a sexually abused child. “The long-term effect of the sexual abuse of children is well-known to these courts and the interest that you and others have in images of this nature fuels the trade in these images, and therefore the continuing abuse of children.

“For this reason, the distribution of Category B images is so serious that only a custodial sentence is appropriate.”

But Judge Potter accepted there is a real prospect of rehabilitation and suspended the nine month jail term he imposed for 18 months. Bamkin must complete 30 rehabilitaton activity days and 120 hours of unpaid work. He will be on the Sex Offender Register for seven years and subject to a  sexual harm prevention order for the same period.

Indecent child images are categorised as A, B and C, with A being the most serious kind and C the least serious.