PAUL HOWE, EX-MARINE FROM BUSHEY, SENTENCED FOR CHILD SEX OFFENSES AND CHILD PORNOGRAPHY IN LUTON

In a case that has shocked the local community of Bushey and the wider region, Paul Howe, a 38-year-old former Royal Marine, was sentenced to four years in prison for serious offenses involving a young girl and the possession of explicit child pornography. The court proceedings revealed disturbing details about Howe's actions and the extent of his criminal behavior.

Paul Howe, who was married and residing on Harcourt Road in Bushey, was found guilty of indecently assaulting a young girl on August 10, 2001. The assault took place in a context that left the victim and her family deeply distressed. Howe's criminal conduct did not stop there; investigators also uncovered a collection of child pornography images stored on his computer, which he had downloaded from the internet. These images depicted young girls engaged in sexual activities, and their discovery was a significant factor in the severity of his sentencing.

The case was brought before Luton Crown Court, where Judge Seddon Cripps presided over the sentencing. During the hearing, the judge emphasized the dangers posed by child pornography, stating, "These offences make it clear how dangerous it is to have child pornography on the internet and how it can turn someone like you from an upright decent man into a sexual predator." The judge's comments underscored the gravity of Howe's actions and the societal threat posed by such offenses.

Following his arrest, Howe was immediately dismissed from the Royal Marines, resulting in the loss of his military career and pension rights. The court heard that Howe had initially denied the allegations of indecent assault, but during the trial, the young girl was called to give evidence, and Howe was ultimately convicted by a jury. The court was informed that Howe had since accepted his guilt, pleading guilty to ten charges related to possessing indecent photographs of a child.

Prosecutor Mr. Gopal Hooper explained that the explicit images had been deleted from Howe's computer, but forensic investigators recovered them from the hard drive after his arrest. Defense counsel Mr. Adam Gersch highlighted Howe's long service in the Royal Marines, noting that he had served for 16 years and had been recognized with an award for being the best young officer. Gersch added that Howe would have been promoted to Lieutenant Colonel had it not been for his arrest, describing the consequences as devastating and emphasizing that Howe believed his career was effectively over.

Judge Cripps further revealed that Howe's inappropriate online activity began while he was stationed in Denmark, where he first started viewing sex sites. Over time, his interest escalated to child pornography, and this behavior persisted after his return to the UK in 2000. As part of his sentence, Howe was ordered to register as a sex offender, a measure intended to monitor and prevent further offenses. The case serves as a stark reminder of the dangers associated with internet-based child exploitation and the importance of vigilant law enforcement in protecting vulnerable victims.