Andreas man blamed 'porn addiction' for having indecent images of children

31-year-old said he'd been 'reckless' about the websites he was visiting

An Andreas man has been spared prison after being caught with indecent images of children.

Ryan Owen Pegg, of Larivane Estate, blamed a ‘porn addiction’ for his offending during sentencing at Douglas Courthouse.

The 31-year-old had previously admitted six offences of possessing 59 still images, and one video, between 1 January 2018 and 26 January 2023.

The court was told the images had been recovered from Pegg’s deleted items – 28 were at Level 1 on the COPINE scale; the system police use to categorise indecent material.

Seventeen were at Level 4 and the video was at Level 5.

In his basis of plea Pegg said he’d strayed away from mainstream websites, due to his addiction, and had been ‘reckless’ as to the places he was visiting.

He claimed that he had immediately deleted the content once he’d opened it.

The prosecutor told the court they believed Pegg had remained on the websites despite knowing there was a risk that he would see indecent images of children.

Urging Magistrates not to send Pegg to prison his advocate told them: “There are better ways to deal with Mr Pegg, in this case, rather than immediate custody.

“He has been going to websites where there are no safeguards in place,” he said adding: “Opened, deleted, never touched again.”

Sentencing Pegg to 39 weeks in custody, which will be suspended for two years, Magistrates told him: “We consider you have been extremely reckless.”

They also imposed a Sexual Offences Prevention Order, which will be in place for five years, and ordered him to pay prosecution costs of £125.