Thomas Hammersley 30

Description

Thomas Hammersley continued to download sick material despite a previous conviction for doing the same thing

A convicted paedophile has tried and failed to have his identity withheld in the media to protect his family. Thomas Hammersley, who is 28 years old and of Park Lane in Camborne, made the unsuccessful application at Truro Crown Court as he appeared to be sentenced for three making indecent images charges.

Prosecuting the case, Ryan Murray told the court how police raided Hammersleys house in July 2020 following a tip off from the National Crime Agency that his IP address and email were suspected of uploading material to a file sharing platform using terms indicative of child abuse images.

A number of devices belonging to registered sex offender Hammersley were seized and all found to contain varying numbers of images.

In total Hammersley had 107 Category A images and one movie, 48 Category B images and 81 Category C images, many of which were inaccessible. The material had been accessed over the course of two years and the victims were said to be aged between six and 12.

Hammersley at first denied the offending before going onto make admissions, blaming his offending on drugs.

Back in 2015 Hammersley was convicted of identical offences and given a suspended sentence and made subject of a sexual harm prevention order.

Representing himself, Hammersley said: When I was doing the crimes I was under the influence of drugs. After I came back round Id realise what Id done and delete it. Then the next time I got drunk Id do it again.

Addressing the application for anonymity, Judge Simon Carr said that while he sympathised with Hammersleys family, the application went against the principal of open justice.

Sentencing, Judge Carr said: As a result of information from the NCA your premises was raided and a number of devices found. All the devices had indecent images of children including Category A images and at least one movie.

In 2015 you were convicted of identical offences and given a chance to address your offending, something you failed to do.

These images were downloaded over a significant period of time and the children depicted were very young.

You seek to minimise responsibility and blame it on drugs. This is an excuse without foundation. You do it because you have a sexual interest in children.

Hammersley was jailed for two years.