5 Mar 2016

Ex-Pitcairn Island Mayor jailed

12:50 pm on 5 March 2016

Former Pitcairn Island Mayor Michael Warren has been sentenced to 20 months in prison after earlier this week being found guilty of 20 charges relating to more than 1000 child sex images and videos.

He was also convicted of charges relating to the possession of an indecent film and an online sex chat with a person who purported to be a 15-year-old girl.

Today Judge Arthur Tompkins sentenced him to prison, despite pleas from his lawyer for a sentence of home or community detention.

Judge Tompkins said Warren had shown no remorse and no insight into his offending, or the effect on victims every time the images were downloaded.

During Warren's trial, the court was told Warren began downloading child sex images and videos in the same year that men from Pitcairn Island were jailed for raping children.

Judge Tompkins said a report from the island's deputy governor described the offending as having a negative impact on Pitcairn's reputation, discouraging people from moving there.

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