Northern Ireland

Former teacher avoids return to prison despite having indecent images of children

Colin Mark Trory (46) was put on probation for two years
Colin Mark Trory (46) was put on probation for two years Colin Mark Trory (46) was put on probation for two years

A FORMER teacher, who was jailed for sex offences 14 years ago, has avoided a return to prison despite having indecent images of children.

Instead, Colin Mark Trory (46) was put on probation for two years by Judge Richard Greene QC, who said while the offences crossed custody threshold, he had "come to the conclusion there are objective signs that you have insight and do have a commitment to change".

But the Antrim Crown Court judge warned Trory that if he committed further offences or breached the probation order "the court, I have no doubt, will have no option but to impose an immediate custodial sentence".

Last June Trory, from Locksley Park in south Belfast, entered guilty pleas to each of the 10 counts against him including seven counts of making indecent photographs of children and three of having extreme pornography on dates between 17 March and 29 May 2018.

During Judge Greene's sentencing remarks, the court heard police seized a laptop, tablet and memory card during a "planned search" of Trory’s home.

Trory, a former church youth group leader who also taught at Castle High School in north Belfast, initially refused to answer police questions but five months later when the devices had been examined and offensive material uncovered, "agreed you were responsible for having downloaded them", the court heard.

In total 17 indecent images and seven images of extreme pornography were uncovered by police, including three category A images relating to two young girls.

In May 2007, Trory was jailed for two years to be followed by three years on probation in relation to a "large number of images".

The charges came after a colleague nudged his laptop and an indecent image of a child flashed up. Police seized that computer along with computer equipment, mobile phones and cameras from Trory’s home and uncovered "extremely distressing" images.

Describing Trory as a "difficult sentencing conundrum", Judge Greene said that from the contents of the probation report, a psychiatric report and a lengthy, hand-written letter from Trory himself, it appeared there was hope "you do have the capacity to avoid the temptation" of committing further offences.

The judge also imposed a five-year Sexual Offences Prevention Order and told Trory he must remain on the police sex offenders register for five years.