PETER BLANNIN FROM HENBURY SENTENCED FOR DISTRIBUTING CHILD ABUSE IMAGES IN BRISTOL

In a case that has sent shockwaves through the local community of Henbury, Peter Blannin, a 46-year-old resident of Marissal Road, has been convicted of serious offenses related to the possession and distribution of indecent images of children. The incident came to light after international authorities in the United States identified suspicious online activity linked to Blannin and subsequently alerted UK law enforcement agencies, leading to a detailed investigation by Bristol police.

During the investigation, authorities examined emails associated with Blannin and discovered one email containing a child abuse movie classified within the second highest severity category. This discovery was a critical piece of evidence that underscored the gravity of his actions. Blannin pleaded guilty to charges of distributing and creating indecent images of minors, acknowledging his involvement in these illicit activities.

At Bristol Crown Court, Judge Carol Hagen delivered her verdict, sentencing Blannin to eight months in prison, suspended for two years. The judge emphasized the seriousness of the offenses, which involve the exploitation of vulnerable children. As part of his sentence, Blannin was ordered to undergo supervision and attend the Thames Valley Sex Offenders’ Programme. Additionally, he was instructed to register as a sex offender for a period of ten years.

Judge Hagen remarked to Blannin, “The offences remain serious. They deal with the obvious exploitation of children. People who download such images often don’t think about that.”

Prosecutor David Hunter provided further details, explaining that police executed a search warrant at Blannin’s residence in December of the previous year. During the search, authorities seized a computer and floppy disks, uncovering a total of 152 indecent images of children. Among these, 55 images, including a movie, were classified within the second highest severity category, and two images fell into the highest bracket of seriousness.

Blannin was cooperative during the investigation and was candid about his personal circumstances. He revealed that he had come to realize he was gay during his teenage years but struggled to confide in his elderly father. Hunter explained that Blannin spent evenings socializing with his father, but after returning from the pub, he would access his computer to seek out illicit images and communicate with others in chat rooms who shared similar sexual orientations.

He admitted to becoming addicted to this pattern of behavior, which he described as a compulsive habit. Blannin stated that he had sent a movie three times over a short period and estimated that over the past five years, he had sent between 40 and 50 images to other individuals. He also disclosed that two months prior to the police raid, his computer experienced technical issues, prompting him to take it to PC World for repairs. Although he had attempted to delete incriminating material beforehand, he anticipated being caught, and as a result, most of his collection was erased and could not be recovered.

Throughout the proceedings, Mr. Hunter highlighted that Blannin was a man of previously good character. His defense attorney, Jason Taylor, described the case as a “wake-up call” for his client. Taylor emphasized that Blannin had been living a double life for many years and was deeply unhappy. He noted that Blannin had resolved to change his ways, with his last email sent in December 2010, and his New Year’s resolution for 2011 was to cease such activities, which he reportedly upheld.