Originally posted to the uk.legal newsgroup by Anthony & Joy Hilbert <hilbert@hilbert.demon.co.uk> on 17/1/97.

Press release from Lancashire Constabulary

Press Office:
P O Box 77, Hutton, Preston PR4 5SB, Phone: 01772 618333/444/666, fax: 01772 618356)

KIRKHAM STUDENT IN COURT IN INTERNET TRIAL

A Lancashire student appeared before Preston Crown Court today in the first case of its type involving a prosecution from the publication of adult and child pornography on the Internet.

Twenty-year old _______ of _______ near Preston was arrested following a joint enquiry between the Lancashire force and the Metropolitan Police's Vice Unit.

He pleaded guilty to four charges of publishing obscene articles on the Internet, contrary to the Obscene Publications Act and another six of making indecent photographs of children, contrary to the Protection of Children Act.

_______ a student at the University of Central Lancashire in Preston, ran a UK based website with accounts with a service provider in the United States. His site was run for the sole purpose of providing links to other websites, including his sites in the US, where he kept extreme adult pornography.

Also found in a search of his home was extreme child pornography also downloaded from the Internet.

Following a Court appearance before Judge Reginald Lockett this morning, an Order was made for the forfeiture of all _______'s computer equipment. _______ will be sentenced on 4 February and has been told he is likely to be sent to prison.

According to Supt Martin Jauch from the Metropolitan Police, this was a significant prosecution proving that a hypertext link on the Internet constitutes a publication for the purposes of the Obscene Publications Act. He warned: "Any attempt by a person in this country to escape prosecution by lodging material elsewhere will fail. It is possible, despite the difficulties, to use existing acts to tackle this type of criminal activity on the Internet." "This has been a landmark prosecution which sends out a number of significant signals to anyone contemplating using the Internet in this way," he concluded. FFI, please contact Supt Jauch on 0171 321 7751

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