MARK HENSON FROM ILKESTON SENTENCED FOR CHILD SEXUAL ASSAULT AND CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

In September 2008, a disturbing case emerged from Ilkeston involving Mark Henson, a 23-year-old man who was convicted of sexually assaulting an 11-year-old girl with learning difficulties. The incident prompted a police investigation that uncovered a significant amount of illicit material stored on Henson's home computer, leading to his subsequent arrest and conviction.

The police seized Henson's computer from his residence on Shaw Street West in Ilkeston after the girl’s mother reported the assault. The investigation revealed that Henson had more than 200 indecent images of children stored on his device, which included both boys and girls engaged in sexual activities. These images had been created on June 27 of the previous year, but it was discovered that they had been manipulated on the day of the assault, which occurred two days later. Henson had used someone else's computer to display these images and had taken photographs of them with his mobile phone before transferring the images to his own computer at home.

Details of the assault emerged during the court proceedings at Derby Crown Court. It was reported that Henson had sexually assaulted the young girl at his flat on June 29 of the previous year. Prosecutor Mark Van Der Zwart explained that the precise nature of the sexual activity was not entirely clear, but forensic evidence indicated Henson's DNA was found on the girl’s underwear. This evidence strongly linked him to the assault.

Following the incident, the girl’s mother questioned her upon returning home. It became evident that something inappropriate had occurred. The girl was visibly upset, angry, and aggressive, and she even attempted to harm herself with a pair of scissors. These reactions underscored the trauma she experienced. Henson later told police that the girl had been jumping on him and trying to kiss him, which was his account of the events.

In addition to the assault, the court heard that Henson had stored a large collection of indecent images. The police found 237 images on his computer, which depicted children engaged in sexual acts. The images had been created shortly before the assault, and Henson had manipulated them on the day of the attack. He had also used a mobile phone to take photographs of the images and had sent these images to his computer at home.

During the sentencing, Henson admitted to sexually assaulting a child under the age of 13 and to five charges of possessing indecent images of children. Judge David Price sentenced him to 25 months in prison. The judge also ordered that Henson’s name be added to the sex offenders’ register for a period of ten years. Furthermore, Henson was informed that he would be prohibited from working with children once released from prison, reflecting the seriousness of his offenses.

Henson’s defense lawyer, Clive Stockwell, expressed some remorse, stating, “He struggles to come to terms with his wrongdoing. I know he has struggled to explain it to family members. While he has been in custody, he has properly engaged himself on the sexual offending treatment programme. He realises that there is something that needs addressing.”

Judge Price concluded by emphasizing the gravity of the crimes, stating, “I don’t find you a dangerous offender but this offence of assault on a child is so serious, I must send you to prison. You knew she was a vulnerable child and was clearly upset and frightened by what happened to her.” The case highlights the ongoing concerns about child exploitation and the importance of rigorous law enforcement to protect vulnerable victims from predators like Mark Henson.