UK judge attacks sentencing guidelines after he is unable to properly punish paedophile

A British judge has taken aim at the country's sentencing guidelines after he was unable to send a paedophile to jail for an extended period. Photo / 123RF

A British judge has attacked sentencing guidelines which send offenders to prison for "a few months" as he says he is unable to properly punish a paedophile.

Judge David Ticehurst said his hands were tied by UK sentencing guidelines during a case against Graham Gleed who had admitted downloading thousands of images of children aged between three and 15.

Judge Ticehurst was unable to send Gleed, of Bridgwater in Somerset, to jail for long enough for him to complete a sex offenders treatment programme because of guidelines set out by the National Sentencing Council.

"If it weren't for people like you, those little girls would not have suffered at the hands of people like you. The National Sentencing Council guidelines are simply too lenient," said Judge Ticehurst.

"I think that offenders like you should receive long prison sentences, but there is no point in locking you up for a few months if you won't receive treatment."

Gleed, 50, admitted making 54 indecent photographs of children in the most serious Category A.

He also admitted two more similar offences involving 54 indecent photographs in Category B, and 3767 in Category C.

Gleed was sentenced to a three-year community order and told to complete a 95 day sex-offender programme.

He was also ordered to carry out 45 days of rehabilitation activities, 120 hours of unpaid work and made him the subject of a 10 year sexual harm prevention order and five years on the sex offender registry, plus £500 costs.

Talking to the defendant Judge Ticehurst said: "You told the probation officer that you thought 'some of them looked like they were enjoying it'."

The judge described one of the images that Gleed had downloaded, showing a 3-year-old girl being tied up and abused.

"I want you to tell everyone in this this court how much you enjoyed looking at this image," he said.

"Everyone in this court is disgusted by you, and your behaviour," the judge added before telling the defendant to "get out".