Possession of Prohibited Images of Children: Three Years on

Abstract

This article illuminates the possession element of the new offence under s. 62 of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009, which outlaws certain non-photographic images of child sexual abuse. To this end, the analysis draws upon the case law concerning the offence of possession of extreme pornographic images, with which the new offence shares many common features. The article also presents the latest figures relating to convictions obtained since s. 62 came into effect in April 2010. Lastly, it considers the proposed amendment to widen the provisions of the 2009 Act and argues that the already broad scope of the offence should be limited.