THATCHAM MAN ROBERT SUDWORTH FACES JAIL OVER 40,000 CHILD SEXUAL IMAGES IN BERKSHIRE

In July 2016, a serious case involving a resident of Thatcham, Robert Sudworth, came to light when he was found to possess an alarming collection of over 40,000 child sexual abuse images. The incident took place at his home in Masefield Road, where authorities uncovered the extensive material during an investigation into his activities.

Sudworth, aged 45, appeared before West Berkshire Magistrates’ Court last Thursday to face multiple charges related to the possession of indecent images of children. Dressed in a smart, light grey suit, he chose to speak only to confirm his identity and address, and to enter a guilty plea to all the allegations against him.

The charges included possession of 788 images classified as Category A, which is considered the most severe level of indecency, indicating the most explicit content. Additionally, he admitted to possessing 1,760 images categorized as Category B, and a staggering 37,705 images falling under Category C, which is deemed less severe but still highly concerning. All these offences were committed at his residence between January 1, 2007, and April 16 of the previous year.

Prosecutor Helen Waite addressed the court, emphasizing the gravity of the case. She stated, “The first matter for your consideration is whether your sentencing powers are sufficient to deal with this case. The categories and the sheer volume of images involved clearly indicate that this is not suitable for summary trial.”

Defence solicitor Steve Molloy acknowledged the seriousness of the charges, saying, “We concede that this case is appropriate for Crown Court proceedings,” effectively acknowledging that the matter exceeds the jurisdiction of magistrates.

Ms Waite explained that, given the circumstances, she would not detail the case facts further, leaving that to the Crown Court judge during the upcoming sentencing hearing. She also reminded the court that Mr Sudworth-Jones was required to sign on at a police station under an interim sexual harm prevention order and that additional conditions would likely be imposed during sentencing.

Recognizing the severity of the offences, magistrates agreed that a more substantial punishment was warranted and decided to send the case to Reading Crown Court for sentencing. They ordered that pre-sentence reports be prepared, considering all options, including the possibility of custody.

Meanwhile, Mr Sudworth-Jones was released on bail under two conditions: he must comply with the terms of the interim sexual harm prevention order and must not have unsupervised contact with any child under the age of 18. The case highlights the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to combat the distribution and possession of illegal and harmful images, especially involving vulnerable children in the Berkshire area.