SERGE FAUCHEUX FROM MENTMORE SENTENCED REDUCED FOR CHILD IMAGE OFFENSES IN AYLESBURY

In December 2014, a significant legal development occurred involving Serge Faucheux, a man residing in Mentmore, who was found to possess an alarming collection of indecent images of children on his computer. The case drew considerable attention due to the sheer volume of illicit material discovered and the subsequent legal proceedings that followed.

Faucheux, aged 46 and living on Howell Hill Close in Mentmore, was initially sentenced to 32 months in prison at Aylesbury Crown Court in September of that year. This sentence was handed down after he pleaded guilty to two counts of making indecent images of children. The court was informed that Faucheux had accumulated a staggering number of these images, which prompted the authorities to investigate his activities thoroughly.

During the police raid on his residence in Leighton Buzzard, officers uncovered a computer and an external hard drive that contained nearly 250,000 indecent images and over 1,000 videos depicting children in various states of abuse. The investigation revealed that these images had been collected over a period of approximately six years, highlighting a long-standing pattern of offending behavior.

Judge Jeremy Carey, presiding over the case, noted that a very small proportion—about three percent—of the images fell into the most obscene category. Most of the material involved young girls aged between 10 and 13, with some images featuring children as young as five. Faucheux admitted to accessing such illicit material, and during the pre-sentence interview, he expressed a sense of relief upon being caught, claiming it would enable him to seek help for his addiction to child pornography.

However, the court was also informed that Faucheux appeared to view himself more as a victim rather than taking full responsibility for his actions. Despite this, he has since shown remorse and has sought assistance for his condition. The judge who originally sentenced him described the number of images as 'frankly staggering' and emphasized the importance of protecting the public from individuals with such disturbing interests.

Faucheux admitted to viewing banned images for about an hour each day prior to his arrest. His legal team challenged the severity of his sentence, arguing that it was excessive given that most of the images were not in the most serious category. The appeal was heard by a panel comprising Judge Jeremy Carey and Mr. Justice Foskett, who ultimately agreed with the defense.

Allowing the appeal, Judge Carey stated, 'In our judgment, the sentence of three years was manifestly excessive.' As a result, the original sentence was reduced to two years in prison, and the appeal was formally allowed, marking a significant development in this case involving serious child exploitation offenses.