Locations
Glanford, Hanley Swan, Worcester, WR8
Description
A PAEDOPHILE carried out sex attacks against a child when she was just four years old and had more than 3,000 indecent images of children.
Matthew Churchill sexually assaulted the girl from the age of four and also made (downloaded) indecent images of children at category A - the worst level within the sentencing guidelines.
The 32-year-old appeared before Worcester Magistrates Court yesterday (Thursday) where he admitted a string of child sex offences - nine in total.
He pleaded guilty to assaulting a girl aged under 13 'on multiple occasions' by touching her between August 7, 2017 and August 7, 2019; making indecent images of children at category A (32 moving and still images) between July 14, 2017 and September 8, 2019 making indecent images at category B (65 moving and still images) between July 23, 2017 and September 8, 2019; making indecent images at category C (229 moving and still images) between April 10, 2017 and September 8, 2019; possessing 3,036 extreme images of a child between May 30, 2015 and September 8, 2019; possessing an extreme pornographic image (269 images) involving sex with dead animals between October 29, 2011 and September 8, 2019; causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity on February 4, 2012; assaulting a girl by touching on the same date; taking an indecent video of a child on the same date.
Ralph Robyns-Landricombe, prosecuting, said the girl, who cannot be identified, had made a disclosure to her mother about the defendant's behaviour and he was arrested.
"Devices were seized by police on arrest and disturbing images were also found" he said.
The prosecutor also said a sexual harm prevention order and deprivation order would undoubtedly follow the conviction.
"The Crown would ask that these matters be committed for sentence to the crown court" said Mr Robyns-Landricombe.
"These are extremely serious offences" he told the court.
He said the sentence for a single charge of causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity was between one and four years in custody as laid out in the sentencing guidelines.
The case was adjourned until October 14 for a further hearing at Worcester Crown Court.
"These offences are so serious that you need greater punishment than we can give" said the chairman of the bench.
As a convicted sex offender, Churchill, of Glanford, Hanley Swan, near Worcester, was told he would have to register at his nearest police station as soon as possible and within 72 hours.
Bail was granted on condition Churchill remains in residence at his address, that he does not enter an address provided to him by the court, that he does not attend a school (details provided to the defendant by the court) and that he is not to have contact with any child under 18 except in the normal course of daily life.
He was also told not to contact, directly or indirectly, any prosecution witnesses.