MARTIN CAMPS FROM MOTSPUR PARK SENTENCED FOR POSSESSING 794 INDECENT IMAGES OF CHILDREN AND EXTREME MATERIALS

In April 2010, Martin Camps, a 47-year-old resident of Hughenden Road in Worcester Park, was handed an 18-month prison sentence after being found in possession of a significant collection of indecent images, including those depicting children, as well as material involving sado-masochism and bestiality. The case drew attention to the ongoing efforts of law enforcement agencies to combat the proliferation of such disturbing content online.

According to court records, Camps was apprehended after authorities traced his online activity to his home in Hughenden Road, which is located in close proximity to Motspur Park. The investigation revealed that Camps had been actively downloading illicit images and videos through a popular file-sharing platform. When officers from the specialized abusive and extreme images unit executed a search warrant at his residence on August 25 of the previous year, they confronted him about his online activities. During questioning, Camps admitted that he had viewed indecent photographs of children on occasion, stating simply, “sometimes,” as reported during the proceedings at Kingston Crown Court on Monday, April 26.

During the search, law enforcement officials discovered a disturbing collection of digital and physical media. The officers found a total of 794 indecent images stored on his computer, along with 32 pornographic movies and four DVDs containing extreme pornography. The images depicted children ranging from infants to those as old as nine years old. Among these, nine images were classified as level five, indicating the most severe category, which includes acts of bestiality and sadomasochism. An additional 228 images were classified as level four, also indicating highly extreme content.

It was also revealed that Camps had a prior conviction dating back to July 2004, when he was caught flashing at bus stops in the Kingston area. This earlier offense resulted in his participation in a sex offenders prevention program, which was ultimately unsuccessful. The court was informed that Camps had acknowledged his guilt immediately upon arrest and claimed that he was battling an addiction to such material.

During mitigation, the defense highlighted that Camps faced the potential loss of his employment and had accumulated debts related to council tax. His legal counsel argued that he was aware of the difficulties he would face in custody, especially considering the nature of his crimes. As part of his sentence, Camps was prohibited from working with or residing in a household with children without prior approval from his probation officer. He was also ordered to register as a sex offender and to sign the register accordingly.

In a move to allow some contact with family, Judge Martin Binning relaxed certain restrictions, permitting Camps to visit his nephews with their parents’ consent. The judge emphasized the gravity of the offenses, stating, “It seems to me custody is inevitable as downloading of images such as these encourages the exploitation of the young.”

Throughout the proceedings, Camps displayed little emotion, only hanging his head as the details of his crimes were read aloud. He was sentenced to 18 months in prison for possessing images of children and received a concurrent 12-month sentence for the possession of extreme material involving bestiality. The judge reduced his sentence from the maximum possible of 24 months, acknowledging his early guilty plea.

Detective Inspector Andy Shortland commented on the case, emphasizing law enforcement’s commitment to tackling online child exploitation. “It goes some way to acting as a deterrent to people who think they are anonymous sitting behind the computer. We can trace people and find people,” he stated. However, authorities also acknowledged that they still do not know the identities of the children depicted in the images or the locations and times when the photographs were taken.

For those concerned about the presence of indecent images or seeking help, resources are available. The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) can be reached at ceop.gov.uk, and individuals can call Stop It Now at 0808 1000900 for support and advice.