A man has accepted his attraction to young girls after his child abuse stash was uncovered.
George Munro was found to have collected 3,506 still and moving indecent images over a period of seven years, Salisbury Crown Court heard on Friday (10 November).
The 37-year-old paedophile was arrested in relation to an unrelated matter in 2020 when the child exploitation team confirmed he was also a suspect in one of their investigations.
As a result, police seized his mobile phone and attended his home address in Grist Court, Bradford on Avon, to seize other digital devices within it – including another phone and a laptop.
Richard Wayman, prosecuting, said that examination of one of the phones – an iPhone – revealed thousands of child abuse material featuring children as young as three years old.
742 of the images and videos uncovered were classified as Category A, which includes rape and penetration. Munro also shared a small number of images with others on Kik, the messaging app.
Thomas Acworth, defending said his client has taken “steps to deal with his deep seated deviancy”.
He said that most sex offenders maintain they are not interested in children, adding that Murno is “not such a man” and that it “could not have been an easy admission to make”.
Mr Acworth said the pre-sentence report, compiled by the probation service, confirmed that the defendant admits having a sexual interest in young girls.
He said it was “encouraging that when he is challenged”, Munro will “accept what he is and that he needs help”.
Judge Angela Morris said his offending was “nothing short of shameful”.
She added: “You have remained out of trouble during those three years [since his arrest], which is perhaps as good as an indication the court can get.”
Munro was given a 20-month prison sentence, suspended for two years. He must register has a sex offender for ten years and complete a sex offender programme.
He must also undertake 20 sessions of rehabilitation activity with the probation service and complete 250 hours of unpaid work.
Judge Morris said: “if you commit another offence during the next two years, it will put you in breach of the court I just made.
“I can tell you now you will come back in front of me and I will have no hesitation what so ever in activating the sentence I have imposed today.
“I am keeping an eye on you, Mr Munro. I’m giving you one chance Mr Munro, it’s down to you if you take that chance because there won’t be another one.
“If I see you again, you know what will happen.”
