JONATHAN BUTTON FROM EAST SHEEN SENTENCED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY NEAR SHEEN MOUNT PRIMARY

In August 2007, Jonathan Button, a resident of Christchurch Road in East Sheen, was sentenced to a year in prison after being found guilty of possessing child pornography. The conviction followed a police raid on his home, which is located just a few yards from Sheen Mount Primary School, a detail that heightened community concern about his proximity to a school environment.

Button, who was 51 years old at the time, had previously admitted to possessing ten specimen counts of indecent images depicting young boys. These images included over 1,000 thumbnail pictures showing children in what the court described as 'erotic poses,' along with 31 explicit images of children engaged in indecent acts. Despite efforts by Button to automatically delete downloads through specialized software, investigators uncovered the illicit material during their search.

According to prosecutor Boeung Jun, the police action was initiated in January after authorities received information suggesting that Button had made references to 'taking pictures' in correspondence with Trevor Watson, a convicted paedophile currently incarcerated. These letters were written under the pseudonym 'Aunt Maude,' and contained coded language that linked to the images in question.

Further background revealed that Button had a troubling history, including a prior conviction in 1999 for importing child pornography. Later that same year, he served a 15-month jail sentence after admitting to indecently assaulting boys in his flat while working as a science teacher at a private school in Berkshire during the 1980s.

During the court proceedings, defense lawyer Sasha Wass argued that Button had shown signs of rehabilitation and had not committed any further offenses since acquiring the images online in 2001. She presented letters from former colleagues at Ham House, where Button had worked selling tickets, and from his doctor, attesting to his 'warm and generous' nature. These letters also included references to Button's past abuse by a choirmaster during his time as a pupil at Colet Court in Barnes, which Wass claimed had significantly impacted his behavior.

Wass further explained that the letters to Watson were filled with 'gay banter' and that the photographs in question were holiday snapshots taken in Cuba, not images of children. However, Judge Matthews QC dismissed these claims, stating that the letters contained 'coded language' and that the references to photographs were oblique. The judge emphasized that Button's actions demonstrated a 'pattern of behavior' and posed a 'significant risk to the public.'

In sentencing, the judge ordered that Button serve 12 months concurrently for each of the ten counts, highlighting the severity of his offenses. She remarked that the images had caused harm to the subjects depicted and underscored that such behavior was unacceptable in a civilized society. Following his release, Button was placed on extended license for three years and will remain on the sex offenders' register for life, reflecting the ongoing concern about his potential risk to the community.