Paedophile repeat offender from Leeds town given another chance due to Covid failure
Man kept out of jail again
A paedophile caught downloading sickening abuse images again has avoided custody for a second time, after persuading a judge he did not receive the help promised.
It comes after Andrew Marsh even failed to turn up for court and was later arrested in North Yorkshire.
The 37-year-old was previously given a suspended sentence in 2021 for searching out vile images online.
But due to the pandemic, he never underwent the rehabilitation days he was given, which his barrister, Sean Smith, argued was not his fault during a hearing at Leeds Crown Court this week.
Mr Smith said: “The issues that existed back then have not been dealt with. It’s perhaps no surprise that he has reoffended, albeit some years later.”
He said the chance had been “taken away from him”, and that Marsh also needed help for alcohol abuse.
The court heard that police had received information that indecent images had been uploaded on the messenger app, KIK in 2024.
They traced it to Marsh’s home address. Officers went to his place of work to arrest him.
On his mobile phone they found 40 images in Category A - the most serious involving the rape of children. They also found 12 in Category B and 116 in Category C.
The ages of the children involved ranged from just four up to 13.
Marsh, of Third Avenue, Wetherby, later failed to surrender to custody, and was recently re-arrested in Knaresborough. He had a small lock knife on him at the time.
He admitted three counts of making indecent images, failing to surrender to custody and possessing a bladed article.
Judge Neil Clark gave him a 15-month sentence, suspended for 24 months, and ordered him to complete an accredited rehabilitation programme and a six-month alcohol treatment requirement.
He was put on the sex offender register for 10 years and given a 10-year sexual harm prevention order (SHPO), which is designed to curb his internet use and allow it to be monitored.