ANDREW COULSON FROM BLUNTISHAM ESCAPES PRISON AFTER GUILTY PLEA FOR CHILD INDECENT IMAGES

In May 2017, Andrew Coulson, a 48-year-old resident of St Marys Close in the village of Bluntisham, Cambridgeshire, appeared before Cambridge Magistrates' Court to admit to serious charges related to the possession of indecent images of children. Coulson, who has no prior criminal record, pleaded guilty to two counts concerning the illegal possession of such material, which had been discovered during a police investigation.

During the court proceedings, Coulson was visibly affected by his hearing impairment, following the proceedings through a lip speaker, while his wife sat at the back of the courtroom visibly distressed and sobbing. The prosecution, led by Sally Rose, outlined the circumstances that led to Coulson’s arrest and subsequent charges.

According to Ms. Rose, the police were alerted to Coulson’s activities after an individual, who had been shown a photograph by Coulson on his laptop, reported their concerns. Acting on this tip, officers obtained a search warrant for Coulson’s residence on September 8. At the time, Coulson was at home with his wife and their four-year-old son. During the search, law enforcement officials seized various electronic devices, including a black Acer laptop, which were later examined for evidence.

The investigation uncovered a total of 119 images classified as Category C, which indicates a certain level of indecency, along with additional material. On a CD-R disc found during the search, authorities discovered two images also categorized as Category C, along with six images deemed to be prohibited. Coulson was questioned about the material found, and he admitted to having downloaded indecent images of children in the past, stating that this activity had occurred approximately five years earlier. He claimed that he believed he had obtained the images via Google and denied any sexual attraction to children.

Regarding the images on the disc, Coulson acknowledged possession but claimed they were about ten years old and were cartoon images he found amusing. Despite the serious nature of the charges, Coulson’s lack of previous convictions was noted by the court.

Following his plea, Coulson was granted conditional bail until his sentencing hearing scheduled for June 1. The court imposed strict conditions, including a ban on any unsupervised contact with minors under the age of 18. Additionally, Coulson was ordered to reside and sleep at his home in Bluntisham, Cambridgeshire, as part of the bail conditions, ensuring he remains under supervision pending sentencing.