GORDON MORRIS OF DERBY SENTENCED FOR VIEWING CHILD ABUSE IMAGES

In July 2017, Gordon Morris, a 64-year-old bus driver from Derby and a practicing Jehovah's Witness, faced serious legal consequences after being found with nearly 300 disturbing images of child abuse and over 50 indecent videos involving children. Police analyzing devices seized from Morris uncovered 64 of the most severe Category A images, alongside one extreme pornographic image depicting a person with an animal engaged in sexual activity, as detailed in Derby Crown Court.

Morris, who was then living in Normanton, admitted to officers that he had downloaded and viewed these illegal images, describing his offending as "like an addiction." Despite viewing images of children aged as young as seven, he claimed, "I did not get any sexual gratification from viewing them." His actions led to his arrest and subsequent guilty pleas to five counts of possessing indecent images.

The investigation was triggered after police received information linking Morris to an email account involved in distributing child abuse images. A warrant was executed at his residence on St Giles Road in November of the previous year, resulting in the seizure of a mobile phone, a laptop, and several SIM cards.

Prosecutor Sam Coe explained, "In total, they uncovered 35 Category A images and 29 movies, 28 Category B images and four movies, and 234 Category C images along with 20 movies. There was also a prohibited image and an extreme pornographic image." Morris also admitted during police interviews that he used software to conceal his online identity.

Morris, now residing on Grange Road in Alvaston, was sentenced to a 10-month prison term, suspended for 18 months. Additionally, he is required to attend 30 individual sessions with the probation service to address his offending behavior, complete 120 hours of unpaid work, and is subject to a 10-year sexual harm prevention order.

Judge Jonathan Bennett addressed the court, stating, "Real children are being abused, and that market exists because people like you, no doubt spending hours alone, indulge their fantasies by downloading and viewing such material." He also noted the reasons for the suspended sentence, including Morris’s age, lack of prior convictions, the possibility of rehabilitation, and his full cooperation with authorities, emphasizing, "You also pleaded not guilty at the earliest opportunity and made full admissions at the police station."