RUSTINGTON PAEDOPHILE CHRISTOPHER MARSDEN CAUGHT WITH OVER 1,300 CHILD INDECENT IMAGES AND SEXUAL CHAT EVIDENCE

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Rustington, authorities uncovered a significant collection of illegal material during a police raid on the residence of Christopher Marsden. The investigation revealed that Marsden, aged 34 and residing on Sea Lane, had accumulated more than 1,300 indecent images of children, some of which depicted victims as young as six years old.

These heinous images were accessed over a span of nearly ten years, highlighting a prolonged period of illicit activity. The police's discovery was made during a search of Marsden’s home last year, which uncovered not only the images but also evidence of disturbing online communications.

At a court hearing held at Worthing Magistrates’ Court, Marsden pleaded guilty to five separate charges. These included three counts of making or downloading indecent images of children, possession of prohibited images, and possession of extreme pornographic material. Prosecutor Melanie Wotton detailed the severity of the case, stating, “There are 615 Category A images. They are the most extreme images. They involve children as young as six being abused.”

In addition to the Category A images, authorities found 333 images classified as Category B and 394 as Category C, further emphasizing the extent of the illegal material stored by Marsden.

Beyond the images, police also uncovered evidence of online conversations—referred to as ‘chat’—between Marsden and other individuals. These exchanges contained concerning discussions related to sexual assaults of young children, adding a disturbing dimension to the case.

Given the gravity of the offences, the magistrates determined that the case must be transferred to Crown Court for sentencing. Marsden was granted bail and is scheduled to appear at Lewes Crown Court next month to face the full consequences of his actions.