A 61-year-old man from Bolton has been sentenced to 12 years in prison after police discovered more than 3,000 indecent images of children on his devices. Mark Edmonds pleaded guilty to 15 sexual offence charges, including eight counts of sexual assault and possession of Category A indecent images of children, the most severe classification under UK criminal law.
Arrest and investigation
Edmonds was arrested in February after a survivor disclosed that he had been touching her and taking inappropriate images. A further victim came forward when she told a friend that Edmonds had been forcing her to engage in sexual activity.
Following his arrest, Greater Manchester Police seized his devices and uncovered more than 3,000 indecent images, some of which related to the two victims. Police said the man "exploited them for his own sick gain."
Victim impact statements
The mother of one of the survivors told Edmonds: "You destroyed my life. You destroyed my girls."
A survivor said: "Did abusing me make you feel better about yourself? I will continue to blame myself because if I spoke up, maybe I could’ve stopped it from happening to the other victims. I hope you understand how your actions have impacted me. I was vulnerable. I was too young to understand."
Police response and sentencing
Detective Constable Hannah Young from the Child Protection Investigation Unit (CPIU) said: "Edmonds displayed a horrific misuse of trust, and subjected these girls to disgusting levels of abuse for years.
"The crimes he committed have had a lasting impact on two young girls, who should have been able to trust him. Instead, he exploited them for his own sick gain.
"I'd like to commend both girls and their families for their continued support and immense courage from their initial disclosures all the way through to sentencing. Their strength and determination has held Edmonds accountable for his actions.
"I understand that recognising and reporting sexual offences is incredibly difficult, but I hope this sentencing sends a clear message that we take reports of this nature very seriously, and will always support victims through the entire investigation to bring them justice.
"If you have been a victim of sexual abuse, no matter how long ago it happened, please know that you are not alone and support is always available."
Edmonds was sentenced to 12 years in prison and issued with an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order and an indefinite restraining order. He pleaded guilty to 15 charges: sexual assault (eight counts), possession of first generation Category B indecent images of children (three counts), possession of first generation Category C indecent images of children, possession of Category A indecent images of children, possession of Category B indecent images of children, and possession of Category C indecent images of children.
Anyone affected by the themes in this story can call Rape Crisis for free 24 hours a day on 0808 500 2222, or visit the website for a free online chat. Police encourage victims of rape or sexual assault to report it by calling 101, or 999 in an emergency.
