Radio presenter and comedian Tom Binns given suspended sentence

Tom Binns has been given a combined 10-month sentence, suspended for 15 months, after being found with indecent images of children.

The Ivan Brackenbury creator and former commercial radio and BBC presenter was told his actions were unacceptable but he was unlikely to re-offend.

In an earlier statement to RadioToday, Tom said the incident, which took place in 2020, was due to a mental health issue whilst under the influence of an overdose of prescription drugs for ADHD.

He said he downloaded and deleted a large amount of adult pornography over a short period of time, and within those downloads it appears there was some child pornography that he had not sought out nor wanted.

He added: “I have no sexual interest in children. I have taken and passed a polygraph stating I have no sexual interest in children.

“I am bitterly upset at the hurt this has caused my family for which I take full responsibility. I will take my punishment for this and hope that my family is not further harmed by my actions.”

Tom Binns was also made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order, and ordered to sign the sex offenders register, both for 10 years, at Derby Crown Court on Thursday.

Judge Shaun Smith KC said that Binns’s offending was simply unacceptable, but deemed he did not pose a risk to the public, and was unlikely to re-offend.

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