THOMAS MAKIN FROM STREET ESCAPES JAIL AFTER POSSESSING OVER 1,300 INDECENT CHILD IMAGES IN SOMERSET

In a case that has shocked the local community of Street, Somerset, 21-year-old Thomas Makin faced the court this week after being found in possession of a disturbing collection of indecent images of children. The court proceedings revealed that Makin had accumulated a total of 1,396 such images on his computer system, a discovery that has raised serious concerns about the exploitation and abuse of minors.

Judge Francis Gilbert QC presided over the case and delivered a stern warning about the gravity of the offences committed by Makin. The defendant, who resides on Beech Road in Street, had previously pleaded guilty to 15 charges related to the creation of pornographic images and one charge of possessing indecent images, with the offences spanning from December 30, 2002, to February 23 of the previous year. The court was told that the images, some classified in the most severe categories four and five, came to light on February 25, 2009, after Makin’s girlfriend accessed his computer and discovered the illicit files.

Following this discovery, the police were called, and Makin was promptly arrested at his place of employment. During police interviews, he admitted to owning the files, which were not encrypted, and revealed that the images had been obtained from two different file-sharing suites. The files were stored across three hard drives on a computer system described as more advanced than a typical home PC, with some images also stored on a laptop. Prosecutor Deni Mathews emphasized that there was no evidence to suggest Makin had shared these images with others, and he was of previously good character.

Legal representation for Makin, Nick Lewin, argued that his client might have developed an interest in children from the age of 14. The defense highlighted the personal toll the case had taken on Makin, noting that he had failed two university courses, lost his girlfriend, and was unemployed and financially strained. The court heard that Makin’s actions had caused significant damage to his reputation and personal life.

Judge Gilbert addressed Makin directly, stating, “These are serious matters. Many people say this is a victimless crime, but it isn’t. A child had to be sexually abused to create the image, and if people didn’t watch such things, the offence would not be committed in the first place.” Despite acknowledging the severity of the offences, the judge took into account Makin’s remorse, his loss of reputation, and the relatively small number of images involved. As a result, he decided against a custodial sentence.

Instead, Makin was sentenced to a community order, which includes supervision by the Probation Service for a period of three years. He was also ordered to complete a 60-day group work programme run by Thames Valley and to remain on the Sex Offenders’ Register for five years. The court’s decision reflects a balance between punishment and the recognition of Makin’s remorse and circumstances, but the case remains a stark reminder of the serious nature of such offences and their impact on victims and society as a whole.