COXHOE MAN CONVICTED IN PAEDOPHILE CASE
Durham Crown Court was told that Mark Robert Garside was unaware of the real identity of the “girls”, who he believed to be 14-year-olds “Sasha” and “Shelley”, and with whom he exchanged messages over two or three days, via the Kick app.Jonathan Gittins, prosecuting, said Garside told them he wished he could go to bed with them and when they made it clear they were aged only 14 and had never had sex, he responded: “Are you getting ready to start?” Following further inappropriate messaging by Garside, the paedophile hunters confronted him and he told them he was guilty and needed help, claiming he wanted to make a conscious attempt to change his ways.
When police were alerted by the vigilante group he also immediately admitted his guilt.
His phones were examined and an indecent image of a child plus three classed as of extreme pornography were found.
The 59-year-old defendant of Cow Close, Coxhoe, near Durham, admitted two counts of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, plus one each of possessing an indecent image of a child and possessing extreme pornography.
Judge Richard Clews told Garside almost all such cases result in immediate custody for defendants, “for obvious reasons.” But he said it was accepted in his case he sent only one image to what he believed were girls and did not solicit any in return.
He also did not attempt or arrange to meet them and he also made prompt admissions when confronted.
The judge said there has also been a substantial delay in the case reaching court, for which the defendant was not to blame.
He told Garside: “My view is that while this offending does cross the custody threshold, it’s not necessary for any prison sentence to be served now, taking into account the delay and your guilty pleas to the most serious offences.
But you could not complain if you were given such a custodial sentence.
There is, however, a prospect of rehabilitation, you are unlikely to re-offend and there’s worthwhile work the Probation Service say they can do with you.” Judge Clews also imposed a nine-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months, during which the defendant must participate in 26 days of a Probation Service sex offender programme and perform 100 hours’ unpaid work.
Garside was also made subject of a three-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order and registration as a sex offender for ten years.
The judge warned him that any breaches of the orders or re-offending could activate his sentence.
