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05-09-2008, 02:29 PM
A CAMBRIDGE University professor has walked free from court despite pleading guilty to hoarding a sickening catalogue of child porn featuring babies just two days old.
Modern French theatre specialist Nicholas Hammond, 45, had more than 1,000 child porn images on his computer - some of which were level five - the highest level of severity.
He was sentenced to 12 months, suspended for two years with a two year supervision order at Cambridge Crown Court. He was also fined £1,000.
Hammond, a former director of studies in Modern Languages at Gonville and Caius college, admitted a total of 15 charges - 12 of making indecent images, one of possession of images and one of distributing two images.
Police found 30 level five images on Hammond's computer, out of a total of 1,113, and 151 level four images - 15 of which were videos.
Level five is the highest level of severity on the Copine Scale - which gauges the seriousness of child pornography - and refers to images featuring bestiality or sadism.
Hammond, a baritone who has performed with the Birmingham Symphony Choir, committed the offences between December 2006 and June 2007.
Sally Hickling, prosecuting, said the images were predominately of males, aged two days to six months.
The images were discovered on two laptops and a memory stick following a tip-off to police that led to a raid on his Cambridge University owned home, in June last year.
David Fisher, mitigating, said there was no suggestion Hammond had acted on his urges.
He said bachelor Hammond had never paid to view images and had not intended to view level five images, only images of teenage boys.
Mr Fisher said: "He accepts he was interested in viewing photos of teenage boys, some in swimming shorts and sometimes boys that were naked. But that was all he was looking for."
He said Hammond readily admitted he was gay and has had two long term relationships with men of an appropriate age.
Hammond had been due to take up the position of head of faculty for modern languages in January this year.
Hammond, a former reviewer for the Times Literary Supplement, was placed on leave from his post at Cambridge University after his arrest.
The University were unable to confirm if he had been sacked although they said his position is under review.
Judge Gareth Hawkesworth, in sentencing, said: "You were suffering from moderate depression due to various circumstances in your life and you were seeking refuge from life. But viewing this material can become addictive there would have been a serious risk that your voyeurism may have turned into action.
"However, you are highly motivated to heal yourself and as a highly intelligent man you have the capacity to do so."
:rolleyes:
Hammond, who lived in Paris after his arrest, was placed on the sex offenders register.
He must inform authorities if he travels abroad for a 10 year period.
http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/cn_news_home/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=346492
Modern French theatre specialist Nicholas Hammond, 45, had more than 1,000 child porn images on his computer - some of which were level five - the highest level of severity.
He was sentenced to 12 months, suspended for two years with a two year supervision order at Cambridge Crown Court. He was also fined £1,000.
Hammond, a former director of studies in Modern Languages at Gonville and Caius college, admitted a total of 15 charges - 12 of making indecent images, one of possession of images and one of distributing two images.
Police found 30 level five images on Hammond's computer, out of a total of 1,113, and 151 level four images - 15 of which were videos.
Level five is the highest level of severity on the Copine Scale - which gauges the seriousness of child pornography - and refers to images featuring bestiality or sadism.
Hammond, a baritone who has performed with the Birmingham Symphony Choir, committed the offences between December 2006 and June 2007.
Sally Hickling, prosecuting, said the images were predominately of males, aged two days to six months.
The images were discovered on two laptops and a memory stick following a tip-off to police that led to a raid on his Cambridge University owned home, in June last year.
David Fisher, mitigating, said there was no suggestion Hammond had acted on his urges.
He said bachelor Hammond had never paid to view images and had not intended to view level five images, only images of teenage boys.
Mr Fisher said: "He accepts he was interested in viewing photos of teenage boys, some in swimming shorts and sometimes boys that were naked. But that was all he was looking for."
He said Hammond readily admitted he was gay and has had two long term relationships with men of an appropriate age.
Hammond had been due to take up the position of head of faculty for modern languages in January this year.
Hammond, a former reviewer for the Times Literary Supplement, was placed on leave from his post at Cambridge University after his arrest.
The University were unable to confirm if he had been sacked although they said his position is under review.
Judge Gareth Hawkesworth, in sentencing, said: "You were suffering from moderate depression due to various circumstances in your life and you were seeking refuge from life. But viewing this material can become addictive there would have been a serious risk that your voyeurism may have turned into action.
"However, you are highly motivated to heal yourself and as a highly intelligent man you have the capacity to do so."
:rolleyes:
Hammond, who lived in Paris after his arrest, was placed on the sex offenders register.
He must inform authorities if he travels abroad for a 10 year period.
http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/cn_news_home/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=346492