‘Intelligent’ student spared jail over child porn pictures

A CRIMINOLOGY student was spared jail over child porn offences after a judge said he was “intelligent” enough to learn his lesson.

Jamie Martin, 21, was found guilty of possession of hundreds of sickening images of child abuse showing victims as young as one on his computer.

Martin, who is a student at Canterbury Christ Church University, denied seven offences of making and possessing indecent images of children, and even tried blaming them on his father.

However, Judge David Griffith-jones QC suspended his jail sentence at Maidstone Crown Court yesterday.

“You are evidently an intelligent and bright young man,” he said. “I very much hope your experience from this case has been a salutary one and you will learn an important lesson.”

Martin remained in “total denial” of his crimes despite being convicted on “overwhelming evidence”.

He deleted the images from his computer after police arrested and questioned his father before his “dark

‘I very much hope your experience from this has been a salutary one and you learn an important lesson’

secret” was revealed in the trial. Martin, of Sheerness, Kent, was found to have 37 movie clips in the most serious category on Oct 26 last year, 21 in the second most serious category and eight still images in the lowest category.

He was also in possession of 56 still images in the highest category between Feb 1 and Oct 27 last year, 96 in the next category and 692 in the lowest category.

The judge said: “You initially pointed the finger at your father until it became abundantly clear he couldn’t have been responsible.”

“It is also right to highlight you sought to involve family and friends in providing you with a manufactured alibi in relation to particular times and dates.

“Apart from the dark secret this case has revealed, you present as a thoroughly decent young man.”

He added that if he were to impose a sentence on Martin to serve immediately he would be unable to complete his degree and that his “other life progress would to some extent be blighted”.

The court heard Martin’s denials stemmed from feeling shame and failing to come to terms with his actions.

Martin received a 15-month jail sentence, suspended for two years to run concurrently for all counts. He will have to complete 200 hours of unpaid work.