Man jailed for sexual assault and possessing thousands of indecent images of children

A man from Weston-super-Mare has been jailed for five years after pleading guilty to sexual assault and charges relating to thousands of indecent images of children.

Kevin Geoffrey Thompson, 61, of Totterdown Road, was sentenced at Bristol Crown Court on Thursday 5 June.

He pleaded guilty to a total of six charges:

• Making 32 indecent still and moving images of children at category A.

• Making 25 indecent still and moving images of children at category B.

• Making 4,200 indecent still and moving images of children at category C.

• For distributing indecent images of children.

• For intentionally touching a female over 18 of a sexual nature without consent.

• For taking indecent images of children.

Thompson has also been given a 10-year-restraining order, an indefinite sexual harm prevention order and he has also signed the sex offenders register.

Upon receiving information from another law enforcement agency, officers attended his address and seized his mobile phone, and analysis showed the scale of his offending.

The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, talked about the impact Thompson’s offending continues to have on her in a personal statement which was read out to the court.

She said: “I have daily struggles which force me to recount my trauma.

“My mental health has declined, which I didn’t think was further possible knowing how low I have been feeling, but I’ve been experiencing even more depression and anxiety, which affects me to the point I am not sleeping and constantly overthinking and continuing to not feel safe.”

Thompson compiled indecent photographs involving children over a period of eight years and one of the category A moving images was estimated to be more than one hour long.

The officer in the case said: “A huge amount of credit must be given to the victim for having the courage to come forward despite her ordeal.

“We wholly understand not everybody feels they can report crimes, particularly sexual offences, in the days, weeks or even months after they happen for various reasons.

“We hope any other victims of sexual offences are reassured that no matter how much time may have passed, it is never too late to report a crime to the police. Cases like this show that offenders can still be sentenced for their crimes and brought to justice.”