Cambridge lecturer sentenced for child porn

A Cambridge University academic was given a 12-month suspended prison sentence today after detectives found more than 1,000 indecent images of children on his computers.

Nicholas Hammond, 45, a specialist in modern French theatre at Gonville and Caius College, admitted making, possessing and distributing pornographic images of children during the hearing at Cambridge Crown Court.

Judge Gareth Hawkesworth suspended Hammond's jail term for two years.

The judge ordered Hammond to complete an internet sex offenders treatment course and to sign the sex offenders register for 10 years.

Judge Hawkesworth also banned Hammond from working with children under the age of 16 and ordered him to pay £1,000 court costs.

It is unclear if Hammond was sacked by Cambridge University following his sentencing.

The university issued a statement saying that Hammond was "currently discharged from his duties" and that "the position" was being reviewed.

Police raided Hammond's flat in Cambridge last year after receiving information about his activities.

The court heard that Hammond had viewed images showing a wide variety of indecent material.

In total, police found 1,113 images - including 22 moving images - on two hard drives and a computer memory stick.

They included images of children aged between six months and 16 years.

Hammond viewed the images for more than two years, prosecutors said.

Judge Hawkesworth said he considered imposing an immediate prison sentence but had balanced that with the need to offer Hammond rehabilitation.

"The greater public interest, in my judgment, requires me not only to punish but to provide you with an opportunity to rehabilitate yourself," said the judge.

"You are a sorely damaged individual who needs support and help."

Prosecutors said Hammond had exchanged indecent images of children with another man identified by the computer tag of "Pet17".

David Fisher QC, for Hammond, said in mitigation that his client was a homosexual who was interested in looking at images of teenage boys - but was not interested or obsessed with images of younger children.

"He had an interest in viewing photographs of teenage boys," Mr Fisher said.

"Teenage boys in swimsuits and sometimes boys who were naked who looked happy."

Mr Fisher said Hammond had never behaved improperly towards any child or any student and had not paid for any of the material he viewed.

He said Hammond was employed both by the university and the college.

And he faced losing both jobs and his home, which was provided by the university.

Hammond was an "excellent teacher" who was "much respected and liked by his students", Mr Fisher said.

A profile on Cambridge University's website says Hammond is a specialist in 17th Century French thought and drama and is the author of a number of academic works.

Hammond was due to have become the head of the faculty of modern languages at Cambridge earlier this year, Mr Fisher said.

Prosecutors said Hammond had exchanged indecent images of children with another man identified by the computer tag of "Pet17".

David Fisher QC, for Hammond, said in mitigation that his client was a homosexual who was interested in looking at images of teenage boys - but was not interested or obsessed with images of younger children.

"He had an interest in viewing photographs of teenage boys," Mr Fisher said.

"Teenage boys in swimsuits and sometimes boys who were naked who looked happy."

Mr Fisher said Hammond had never behaved improperly towards any child or any student and had not paid for any of the material he viewed.

He said Hammond was employed both by the university and the college.

And he faced losing both jobs and his home, which was provided by the university.

Hammond was an "excellent teacher" who was "much respected and liked by his students", Mr Fisher said.

A profile on Cambridge University's website says Hammond is a specialist in 17th Century French thought and drama and is the author of a number of academic works.

Hammond was due to have become the head of the faculty of modern languages at Cambridge earlier this year, Mr Fisher said.