Bartley Green man stored child porn after breakdown of marriage - court

Nov 25 2009 by Steve Bradley, Birmingham Mail

A BIRMINGHAM man who stored hundreds of pornographic pictures of children on his computer after the breakdown of his marriage has been spared a prison sentence.

Judge John Wait told Michael Smith, 51, of Brett Drive, Bartley Green: “You must live with the knowledge that you have been party to the torturing of young children.”

The judge added: “Anyone who downloads images of children being abused is participating in their sexual torture because the people who make these films do so for commercial purposes in the hope that people like you, with a perverted interest in children, will buy them.” But he ruled he was able to allow Smith to keep his freedom as he gave him three-year community and supervision orders. The judge further told Smith he must obey a six-month curfew order between 7pm and 6am and barred him from working with children.

Prosecutor Howard Searle said police officers raided Smith’s former home in Park Road, Smethwick and, after taking away his computer equipment, they found 771 indecent photographs of children as young as 12 months. When questioned, Smith blamed his actions on a breakdown following the end of his 20-year marriage when he said he turned to alcohol and medication.