JOSEPH MARSDEN FROM HEATON JAILED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY AND ILLEGAL FILMING IN MANCHESTER

In a disturbing case that has shocked the local community, Joseph Marsden, a 59-year-old lorry driver from Heaton, has been sentenced to 32 months in prison after being found guilty of possessing an enormous collection of child abuse images and secretly filming young girls. The case was heard at Bolton Crown Court, where prosecutors detailed the extent of Marsden’s criminal activities and the evidence that led to his conviction.

According to court reports, police officers visited Marsden’s residence on Second Avenue, Heaton, in March of the previous year after receiving intelligence suggesting that indecent images were being uploaded from his home. During the police search, officers discovered that the tower computer was still turned on, with explicit images of naked children clearly visible on the monitor. This discovery was a crucial piece of evidence that confirmed the allegations against him.

Prosecutor Alexandra Simmonds explained that Marsden immediately admitted to downloading the images when questioned. He confessed to having a problem and revealed that he had been engaging in this illegal activity for approximately two to three years. Despite acknowledging that viewing such images was wrong, Marsden attempted to justify his actions by claiming that he believed the images already existed and that he was not creating new material. However, the police investigation uncovered far more disturbing evidence.

Further examination of Marsden’s devices revealed that he had secretly filmed young girls, dressed in shorts and vests, focusing on their private areas with a zoom lens. Additionally, his mobile phone contained nine photographs of a child aged between eight and eleven, taken without her knowledge while her underwear was exposed. These images and videos highlight the predatory nature of his crimes and his blatant violation of the children’s privacy.

In total, Marsden pleaded guilty to 21 counts of possessing indecent images, one count of making an indecent image, and two counts of possessing indecent photographs for show. The images he possessed ranged from level one to level five, with level five being the most severe, involving sadistic or violent content. Specifically, he possessed 141 images classified as level five, 74 at level four, 115 at level three, and 121 at level two. The remaining 44,749 images were classified as level one, the least severe category.

Moreover, Marsden was attempting to distribute a level five image and a level one image to another individual through an internet chatroom, indicating an intent to share this illegal material. His actions have caused significant concern among authorities and the public, given the serious nature of his offenses.

Defence lawyer Jane Deakin stated that Marsden, who had no prior criminal record, was actively seeking help for his problematic behavior. She emphasized his willingness to cooperate with relevant agencies to address his issues and expressed hope for rehabilitation.

Judge Timothy Stead sentenced Marsden to 32 months in prison, emphasizing the severity of his crimes and the importance of public safety. He remarked, “Those with a sexual interest in children — paedophiles in other words — must understand there is no hiding place for them when they indulge in their activities. The internet is not somewhere where they can expect to have what they do kept secret. The proliferation of cases of this kind before the courts causes great public concern and anxiety, and rightly so.”

In addition to his prison sentence, Marsden was placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely. A sex offences prevention order was also issued, restricting him from having unsupervised contact with girls under the age of 16, and from living in the same house as a girl under 18 unless approved by social services. The order further prohibited him from using the internet to access or store digital images and barred him from working with children or vulnerable adults, aiming to prevent any future harm.