LUKE HINCE FROM GUERNSEY AND LOWER QUINTON ESCAPES JAIL AFTER CHILD PORNOGRAPHY DISCOVERY

In August 2017, a young man from Lower Quinton, near Stratford, who is also originally from Guernsey, narrowly avoided a prison sentence after admitting to serious offences involving indecent images of children and extreme pornography. The case came to light through an unusual sequence of events that ultimately led to his self-reporting to authorities, sparing him from immediate incarceration.

Luke Hince, aged 20 and residing at The Fordway in Lower Quinton, appeared before Warwick Crown Court to face charges related to his possession and creation of illicit material. He pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children and one count of possessing extreme pornography. As part of his sentence, Hince was handed a 12-month community order, which included a requirement to participate in a 25-day rehabilitation activity program. Additionally, he was mandated to register as a sex offender for a period of five years.

The prosecution, led by Andrew Wallace, explained that the circumstances surrounding the discovery of Hince’s offences were quite unusual. The case was initially brought to light through Hince’s own actions. During the court proceedings, it was revealed that Hince, who was a student at Stratford College at the time, had made a full confession to his tutor after becoming increasingly concerned about the nature of the images he had been storing on his computer.

Hince’s own account, detailed in his police statement, shed light on how he first became involved in such disturbing material. He recounted that at the age of 14, he created a chat account under a false username, pretending to be a girl. Through this online persona, he engaged in conversations with an individual in North America known as Ted. Over time, Ted, believing he was communicating with a girl, invited Hince into a chat room that provided access to child sexual abuse images. It was through this interaction that Hince was able to view and save some of these illicit images, which he later admitted to possessing.

Judge Stephen Eyre QC addressed Hince directly during sentencing, emphasizing the gravity of the offences. He stated, “This is an unusual case, but the possession of indecent images of children is a serious matter because those who obtain those images contribute to a state of affairs in which young children are the victims of abuse.” The judge acknowledged that, under normal circumstances, the guidelines would suggest a custodial sentence. However, given the particular circumstances of Hince’s case, including his self-reporting and cooperation, he opted for an exceptional course of punishment, resulting in a community order rather than imprisonment.