Mark Barnes

Mark Barnes, a 43-year-old man from Great Chishill near Royston, was sentenced at Peterborough Crown Court on 4 November 2024 for possessing and distributing indecent images of children, as well as breaching his Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and failing to comply with the Sex Offenders' Register.

The case came to light following a police search of Barnes's home at Wallers Close on 11 January 2024. Officers from Cambridgeshire Constabulary visited the property and discovered various mobile phones and tablets in his possession. This discovery violated a court order imposed in January 2014, when Barnes was first registered as a sex offender. Examination of the devices revealed that between July 2022 and March 2023, Barnes had distributed 14 category A indecent photographs of children—the most severe classification—along with five category B and 25 category C images. In total, he had made over 2,000 indecent photographs, including 628 category A, 496 category B, and 1,163 category C images.

Barnes attempted to evade responsibility by claiming he was merely borrowing one of the phones from a neighbour. However, police uncovered another device containing sexual images hidden in a suitcase under his bed. He appeared in court and admitted to the charges of making and distributing indecent photographs of children, failing to comply with the Sex Offenders' Register, and breaching the SHPO.

Upon conviction, Barnes was jailed for two years and four months. He received an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order, which prohibits him from owning any internet-accessible devices and using remote storage such as cloud services. He will also face indefinite notification requirements under the Sex Offenders' Register. All seized devices were subsequently destroyed by the police.

Detective Constable Andrew McKeane of Cambridgeshire Constabulary commented on the case, stating: “Barnes was fully aware his actions were in breach of his SHPO, but he chose to ignore it. He showed a blatant disregard for the law and lied about owning the phones and tablets to protect himself.” The investigation underscores the ongoing efforts by Cambridgeshire Constabulary to monitor and enforce restrictions on registered sex offenders to protect children from exploitation.