GORDON AMOS FROM MIDDLEPORT AND WOLSTANTON JAILED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY OFFENSES

In a significant legal development, Gordon Amos, a 34-year-old man with ties to Middleport and Wolstanton, has had his lifetime ban on internet usage overturned by the Court of Appeal, following a conviction related to the possession and distribution of child abuse images. Amos, who previously resided in Middleport and was later found in Wolstanton, argued that the lifelong restriction hindered his efforts to rehabilitate and rebuild his life, prompting him to challenge the severity of the original order.

His case was heard in London’s Court of Appeal, where judges agreed that the original order, which prohibited him from using the internet entirely, was excessively harsh and not properly justified. The court’s decision was based on the assertion that the terms of the Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) issued at Stafford Crown Court in February of the previous year were overly broad and lacked proper legal guidance. Judge William Davis, sitting alongside Lady Justice Rafferty and Mr Justice Kenneth Parker, stated that the original restrictions were “too wide” and that the judge at the initial hearing had not been adequately directed to relevant legal authorities.

As a result of the appeal, Amos is now permitted to use a computer, provided it does not contain software capable of deleting internet history. However, he remains under supervision and must make his computer available for police inspection at any time. Despite this change, Amos will continue to be listed on the Sex Offenders’ Register until 2022.

The court also heard details of Amos’s criminal history. He was sentenced to 18 months in prison after admitting to 21 counts of making indecent images of children and six counts of possessing extreme pornography. The judge revealed that Amos, a married father of one, was found in possession of a staggering 440 indecent images of children and 784 extreme pornographic pictures, all downloaded over a span of three years, with the initial discovery occurring in January 2011.

The police raid took place at Amos’s then-residence in Great Row View, Wolstanton. During the search, officers uncovered a large collection of illicit material: 1,269 still images and 10 movies classified at the lowest level of severity on the child pornography scale; additional images and movies at higher levels, culminating in one still image and two movies at the most serious level, level five. In total, 748 images of extreme pornography were also recovered.

In police interviews, Amos admitted to downloading and viewing extreme pornography for sexual gratification. He acknowledged that some of the indecent images depicted children as young as eight years old, although he claimed his interest was solely in girls. A pre-sentence report described Amos as having no prior criminal record but noted that he was “addicted to porn and simply succumbed to it.” The report also highlighted that Amos was estranged from his wife but believed she would support him.

Further legal proceedings in January 2012 confirmed the extent of Amos’s offenses. Police executed a search warrant at his residence in Wolstanton, seizing his computer and external storage devices. The evidence was consistent with his admission, revealing a vast collection of illicit images and videos. Amos pleaded guilty to 23 charges of making indecent images of children and six charges of possessing extreme pornographic material.

During sentencing, defense counsel argued that Amos’s curiosity and addiction led to his offending, and emphasized that pornography had served as a form of escapism for him. They also pointed out his previous good character and his estranged relationship with his wife, expressing hope that he could be rehabilitated. Despite these arguments, the presiding judge, Recorder Nirmal Shant QC, decided that immediate custody was necessary, sentencing Amos to 18 months in prison. He will be on the sex offenders’ register for ten years and is prohibited from accessing any computer until further notice. The sentence is to be served half in custody, with the remainder on license, reflecting the seriousness of his crimes and the need for ongoing supervision.