April 2014
Police gave indecent images of children BACK to a Lichfield paedophile by mistake
POLICE inadvertently handed a video showing sick images of children back to a Lichfield paedophile after he was released from prison, a judge heard.
The tape, showing undressed youngsters on Blackpool beach, should have been destroyed when Ian Owen was convicted in May 2007 of making indecent photos of children and jailed for six months.
But it was found six years later by officers carrying out the annual inspection at Owen’s home. In between time, the tape had been edited by Owen for his own gratification using recording equipment he was banned from having under a Sexual Offences Prevention Order.
Mr Paul Spratt, prosecuting, said another video showing three naked girls getting in and out of swimming pools was also found during the police check on 6 October last year. Owen said he had been given it by another man in Lichfield.
Owen, aged 53, of Smithy Lane, Lichfield was given a three year community order to undergo a sex offenders’ treatment programme after admitting breaching his SOPO, making an indecent image of a child and possessing an indecent image of a child.
Owen was also ordered to re-register with the police as a sex offender for the next five years and his SOPO was extended indefinitely.
Recorder Mr Timothy Raggatt QC said Owen posed a serious sentencing problem and the alternative was a very short stay in prison, but he warned Owen: “You will be under the watchful eye of the probation service for as long as possible.”
Stafford Crown Court heard that this was Owen’s fourth set of paedophile offences: in 1996, and 2003 at Blackpool, he was fined for taking indecent photos before being jailed at Stafford in May 2007.
Mr Spratt said “There is a peculiar feature to this case. Following his conviction he was released from prison and went to the police to collect various items of property.
“It’s unfortunate he received back material he should not have done, but he knew he should have given it back to the police.”
When the police visited Owen’s home on October 6 they found a DVD recorder, a camcorder and several mobile phones capable of video recording – all equipment he was banned from possessing.
Owen admitted editing the two illicit videos for his sexual gratification.
In his garage were 19 videos recorded from mainstream TV, some showing young persons in a state of undress, said Mr Spratt.
Mr Mark Nicholls, defending, said that when his client was convicted in 2007 an order was made for the destruction of the Blackpool video.
At the time he had recorded old versions of Top of the Pops and he was allowed to apply for the return of those.
“When he went to the police station, he was also handed a camcorder, which he handed straight back. He does accept he made no effort to return the [Blackpool] video.
“While I don’t use this as an excuse, there was some confusion abut what he could and couldn’t have,” said Mr Nicholls.
