Thomas Caudell 52

Description

A school teacher who downloaded hundreds of "horrible" child sex abuse images has been spared jail after a judge decided there was "a realistic prospect of rehabilitation".

Thomas Caudell, who also downloaded an "extreme" image of a woman having sex with an animal, was said to have an "addiction" that caused a spectacular fall from grace.

The 46-year-old former technology teacher at a Tunbridge Wells school admitted three offences of making indecent photos of a child, one of possessing images and one of possessing extreme pornography.

He was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment suspended for two years and ordered to complete 180 hours unpaid work.

Maidstone Crown court heard police discovered Caudell, of Little Footway, Langton Green, had 59 images in the highest category of seriousness, 45 in the next highest and 686 in the least serious category.

David Burgess, defending, said Caudell had family photos and school work projects he wanted to retrieve from his seized computer equipment.

He has arrived at the age of 46 with an unblemished character hardworking, family man loved and respected by one and all, as seen from character references and now has a criminal record and, worse still, as a sex offender, said Mr Burgess.

His fall from grace is from a very high order indeed. It has had a very profound effect on him and his wife, who sits in court, and other members of his family.

Caudell, who now works as a machine operator, had sought help from the Lucy Faithfull Foundation child protection charity and completed courses.

It goes a long way to say he sought to address the addiction for that is what it has become and ensure that with the help available this fall never happens again, said Mr Burgess.

That is very much to his credit. The effect on him has been very severe indeed. There was a time when he contemplated taking his own life. He has pulled back from that brink.

Passing sentence, Judge Philip Statman said: At the heart of this offending conduct are children, each of whom becomes a victim of the criminality you have performed.

Anyone who has to read, as I do all too often, a description of the images concerned in cases such as this is appalled by the description given.

In your case, young children - girls, pre-pubescent in a situation where they are performing under the direction of adults, and where the acts of which they are party to are gross and disgusting.

You sat in the comfort of your home and you downloaded these images for your own sexual gratification.

"Your conduct took place over a substantial period of time.

No doubt, as you sat there in your home you never thought the time would come when there would be a knock on the door and you would be arrested for these crimes.

But the judge said he had to take one step back and take a cool and measured look at what Caudell had done.

Nonetheless, you will appreciate these offences well and truly pass the custody threshold, he continued.

References showed he had always been decent and honourable. His wife of 20 years had written to the court on his behalf.

If I may say so, no one could ask for a better wife than the one you have, said the judge.

Your conduct has resulted in life-changing circumstances for the whole of your family.

"No doubt, as you sat there in your home you never thought the time would come when there would be a knock on the door and you would be arrested" - judge Philip Statman"

There would be those who would sink under the weight of what you have done. Not so your wife who has encouraged you to attend the Lucy Faithfull Foundation to complete a 10-session course with them.

"You have been able to come to terms with the fact you have a very real psycho-sexual problem and need to address the issues arising there from.

You are perfectly capable of restoring your life and, hopefully, return to a situation in the community where you can continue to contribute as a decent member of society.

I also hope you wont ever again go back to downloading these horrible images of children.

Judge Statman added: Sentences of imprisonment are appropriate, but I draw back from sending you to prison immediately. There is in my judgement a realistic prospect that exists for your rehabilitation.

I am persuaded there is strong personalised and individualised mitigation. I am clear this is a case where I should take an exceptional course by suspending the sentence.

Caudells name will appear on the sex offenders register for five years and a sexual harm prevention order was made for the same period to give the community extra protection from you.

He will be barred from working with children and vulnerable adults.