Marco Assogna

Marco Assogna, a 44-year-old Italian national residing in Hull, East Yorkshire, was sentenced at Hull Crown Court for a series of child sex offences that involved the sexual assault of a young girl and the possession and distribution of indecent images.

The case came to light following a police investigation into peer-to-peer sharing of indecent images, where Assogna's IP address was identified. Humberside Police raided his home in 2018, seizing a laptop and three mobile phones. Forensic examination revealed 235 Category A indecent images or films—the most severe category—along with 52 Category B and 147 Category C images. Assogna had installed software that allowed other users to access these files, effectively distributing the material, although he did not actively share it himself.

Prosecutor Nicola Quinney detailed how Assogna repeatedly sexually assaulted a girl under the age of 13. He filmed himself committing these assaults and created a dedicated file on his computer containing 24 images focused on the victim's feet, reflecting his admitted foot fetish. During his police interview, Assogna confessed to being sexually aroused by feet and kissing and licking the girl's feet. He also took pictures of an intimate part of his body on her feet.

• Five counts of sexual assault of a child under 13
• Five counts of making indecent photographs
• 27 counts of possessing, making, or distributing indecent photographs

In a victim impact statement read to the court, the girl's mother described the profound devastation caused by Assogna's 'monstrous actions', which had upended their lives. She noted her daughter's suicidal thoughts and fear of Assogna's release from prison, emphasising his manipulative nature that made him 'even more dangerous'. The mother expressed gratitude to the police and determination to support her daughter through professional help, stating, 'With my love and the wonderful people we know we will battle through this.'

Judge Mark Bury, sentencing Assogna to nine years' imprisonment, condemned him as a 'disgusting individual' who obtained sexual gratification from his 'tawdry behaviour'. The judge highlighted Assogna's Italian nationality and urged the Home Office to deport him under the UK Borders Act at the end of his sentence. Assogna, who was emotional in the dock, did not contest deportation and planned to return to his family in Italy. His defence, represented by Richard Thompson, acknowledged the need for a significant custodial term and noted Assogna's role as a baker in the prison kitchen as a potential future career path.

The sentencing occurred in April 2019, following Assogna's guilty pleas to all charges. This case underscores the severe impact of child sexual exploitation and the role of digital forensics in apprehending offenders, as reported by Hull Live.