Sex offender sees jail term cut

29 July 2011 Last updated at 17:00 GMT Milsom collected newspaper cuttings relating to high-profile child murders, the court heard A "manipulative and predatory" sex offender who was jailed indefinitely for public protection has had his sentence cut to three-and-a-half years.

Anthony Martin Milsom, 62, from Newtown, Powys, was jailed in March after admitting indecent assault, and possessing and making indecent images.

The original sentencing judge said his case would "chill the blood of the parent of any young child."

But Appeal Court judges said his crimes did not justify an open-ended sentence.

When he was first sentenced, Mold crown court was told that Milsom's large collection of indecent images revealed his fascination with the murder, abduction and rape of young female children.

Police found in his home more than 5,100 indecent drawings, more than 200 photographs, 127,700 still images, together with 500 films and 188 home-made videos.

Newspaper cuttings

Many of them were in the worst category, the court was told.

The court also heard that Milsom had newspaper cuttings relating to high-profile child murder inquiries including Milly Dowler, Sophie Hook, Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, as well as the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.

Milsom admitted a series of offences dating back to the early 1990s including 16 counts of possessing indecent images of children, 21 charges of making indecent images, five charges of indecent assault on a little girl when she was aged between four and eight, and possessing cannabis.

He was put behind bars indefinitely for public protection.

Milsom was also ordered to register as a sex offender for life and he was made the subject of an indefinite sexual offences prevention order to curb his activities in future.

The jail sentence is almost identical to a life term and meant Milsom would not be freed until he could convince the Parole Board the danger he poses to society had passed.

But Mr Justice Simon, sitting at the Appeal Court with Lord Justice Moses and Judge Francis Gilbert overturned that.

He said Milsom was guilty of grave offences and it was right to describe many of the images he collected as "sickening".

But he said it did not justify an open-ended sentence from which he might never be released.

Substituting a total sentence of three and a half years, the judge concluded: "This reflects the overall criminality in respect of which he pleaded guilty."

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