MARK BRETHERICK FROM WELSHPOOL ESCAPES JAIL DESPITE CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CHARGES IN DYFED-POWYS

In a case that has shocked the local community of Welshpool and the surrounding Dyfed-Powys region, former police sergeant Mark Bretherick has narrowly avoided imprisonment after admitting to possessing indecent images of children. The incident came to light after his estranged fiancée, during a period of separation, discovered disturbing evidence that led to police intervention.

According to court reports, the 33-year-old, who was based in Newtown and resided near Welshpool, was found to have accessed and stored child pornography on his personal devices. The discovery was made when his former partner, while packing up belongings from their shared residence in December 2005, uncovered handwritten documents listing illicit websites. This discovery prompted her to alert authorities, leading to the seizure of two laptops belonging to Bretherick.

During the subsequent investigation, police found a thumbnail image of indecent material on one of the laptops, which was linked to a full-sized image that had been deleted but was confirmed to have been downloaded after the law changed in January 2001. The court was told that one of the laptops contained a single image that could be definitively linked to a download after this legal change, which shifted the handling of such cases from magistrates' courts to crown courts. The prosecution acknowledged that proving the images were downloaded before the law change was now impossible due to legal limitations.

Jim Davis, the prosecutor, detailed that the images were located on two separate laptops, with the more incriminating evidence found on one device. The police's discovery was prompted by the fiancée's suspicions and her decision to report the matter. The court heard that Bretherick had voluntarily resigned from his police position, feeling profound shame for his actions. He was not a current officer at the time of sentencing but had previously served in Dyfed-Powys Police.

In court, Judge Christopher Morton reviewed the evidence and decided that Bretherick did not pose a danger to the public. As part of his sentence, the judge imposed a three-year supervision order, required him to register as a sex offender for five years, and mandated that he complete a sex offenders' rehabilitation program. Bretherick’s legal team argued that he was a shadow of his former self and expressed remorse for his actions.

During the hearing, the court was also informed that 17 other charges related to similar offenses would remain on file, although they could not be prosecuted due to the legal constraints mentioned earlier. The case has raised concerns about the effectiveness of legal measures and the importance of safeguarding children from online exploitation, especially involving individuals with prior law enforcement experience.