Indecent Images Solicitors
Accused of Downloading, Making or The Possession of Indecent Images?
An Indecent Images Solicitor is an experienced legal professional specialising in the criminal defence of accusations involving indecent images.
Our expert team offers expert advice and representation to anyone accused of possessing, making or distributing Indecent Images.
Being accused of possessing indecent images is extremely traumatic, we understand it will lead to you feeling lost and alone. Our sexual offence lawyers work in a compassionate, non-judgmental manner to provide you with total support throughout.
Allegations of this nature can have severe, far-reaching consequences which impact on your career, relationships and reputation. Assembling a strong legal team specialising in criminal defence is vital if you are to avoid this.
If you have been accused of downloading indecent images, or of being in possession of indecent images contact us today to discuss your case with our highly experienced team of Indecent Images Solicitors.
How we can help you
Our Indecent Images Lawyers have been helping people accused of possessing and downloading indecent images since 1998, using the experience gained to provide the best-possible defence for all our clients.
We undertake a thorough examination of all evidence to build a complete picture of your case and compile your defence. This includes employing forensic computer analysts and other specialists where required. Ultimately, our objective is to protect you from a custodial sentence and ensure the correct judgment is reached.
Total communication throughout the process is a core part of our ethos. Our team is available 24/7 and maintain regular contact from beginning to end to ensure you always know the status of your case.
We can work with you from your initial police interview through to the end of the process, providing you with total legal support throughout.
Whatever your situation we can help you so please don’t delay.
What are indecent images?
Covered by the Protection of Children Act 1978 (PCA 1978) and Criminal Justice Act 1988 (CJA 1988), an indecent images offence is committed if a person takes, shares, makes or possesses indecent images of a child under the age of 18.
‘Making’ indecent images is a broad term, which includes:
- Opening an attachment on an email containing an image
- Downloading an image from a website onto a computer screen
- Storing an image in a directory on a computer
- Accessing a website in which images appear as part of an automatic ‘pop-up’ mechanism.
Some common scenarios covered by indecent images law include:
- A person under the age of 18 who creates, possesses and/or shares sexual imagery of themselves with a peer under the age of 18 or adult over 18
- A person under 18 who possesses and/or shares sexual imagery created by another person under the age of 18 with a peer under the age of 18 or an adult over 18
- A person over the age of 18 who creates, possesses and/or shares sexual imagery of a person under the age of 18
This is not an exhaustive list, however, and we have seen a variety of other situations covered by these offences. In general, an offence is committed is a person possesses, distributes or produces indecent images of children under 18, including:
- Photographs
- Videos
- Computer data which can be converted into images or video
Although most commonly used for images of children, indecent images laws can also extend to images of animals.
What are the penalties for the possession or distribution of indecent images?
When establishing a fair penalty for anyone found guilty of committing indecent images offences several factors will be taken into consideration:
- The number of images owned
- The age of the subject(s) featured in the images
- The vulnerability of the subject(s)
- The amount of pain or distress suffered by the subject(s)
In addition to this, the Sexual Offences Definitive Guideline defines images and videos by category, this will also be taken into consideration when establishing punishment:
- Category A images show penetrative sexual activity
- Category B images show non-penetrative sexual activity
- Category C images show erotic posing
The court will also consider whether the images have been deliberately stored and the perceived risk posed by the person in possession of the images.
Penalties range from community orders to a prison sentence of up to 10 years. In addition to this, you can be required to be on the sex offender's register.
Being subject to criminal investigations such as this can also have an incredibly negative impact on your career, particularly for those involved in areas such as teaching, medicine, policing or social work. Having a team of expert indecent images defence solicitors fighting your throughout is vital.
24 hour availability
Arrests are rarely anticipated, which is why we are available around the clock, seven days a week, 365 days of the year, to assist you at the police station and provide you with immediate legal advice, whenever you need us.
Legal aid
Legal fees can be an unexpected cost that you may struggle to afford. By applying for legal aid, you can relieve financial stress during your case, leaving you to focus on what matters. Our solicitors can advise you on your eligibility and will guide you through the process of applying for legal aid, giving you the best chance of a successful application.
Specialist Indecent Image Offence Lawyers
- 24/7 Availability
- Proven Success in High Profile Cases
- Non-Judgemental Representation Tailored to Your Situation
Protect your future with trusted, expert legal defence—contact Draycott Browne’s Indecent Image Solicitors today.
Contact our Indecent Image Solicitors
When faced with the accusation of possessing indecent images, we understand how stressful this can be, it is imperative that you seek the best legal services available to you.
Contact our expert criminal defence solicitors in Manchester today. If you would like us to contact you, simply fill in our online enquiry form and a member of the team will be in touch as soon as possible.
The Sexual Offence Lawyers at Draycott Browne is highly regarded, nationally across the legal spectrum and is noted for consistently delivering positive results. Our solicitors possess a breadth of technical knowledge across the range of Sexual Offences that will provide you with the expertise required when facing such sensitive allegations and investigation by the police.
As one of the UK's leading Criminal Law Firms, we regularly act for clients in London and throughout the North West including Manchester and Liverpool regarding Sexual Offences and indecent image law accusations, when expert legal representation and advocacy is needed. By entrusting your case to us, you can be assured that you will be working with a team of highly skilled and experienced sexual offence solicitors who have a thorough and comprehensive knowledge of the law.
Our legal team is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, With your freedom at stake, If you or somebody you know has been arrested and needs expert legal representation, call Draycott Browne today or complete our contact form, for the very best criminal defence for allegations of sexual offence.
FAQs
Yes, receiving indecent images of children is a criminal offence in the UK, even if they are unsolicited or not actively downloaded. Under the Protection of Children Act 1978 and the Criminal Justice Act 1988, it is illegal to:
- Possess indecent images of anyone under 18
- Distribute or share such images, including forwarding or uploading
- Make images — which includes saving, downloading, or even viewing them in a browser cache
If an individual receives an indecent image and takes no action to report or delete it, they could still face prosecution for possession. Immediate legal advice should be sought in such circumstances.
In cases involving indecent images, the prosecution must provide robust digital evidence to secure a conviction. This may include:
- Image files located on phones, computers, or cloud storage
- Metadata showing when and how the files were accessed or downloaded
- Chat logs or messages related to the acquisition or sharing of images
- Browser history and download records
- Expert forensic analysis proving the user had control over the device or account
Mere presence of an image is not always sufficient; the Crown Prosecution Service must prove that the accused knowingly possessed the image.
Indecent images of children are categorised according to their severity, as defined by sentencing guidelines:
- Category A – Images involving penetrative sexual activity, bestiality, or sadism. These are the most serious and carry the highest penalties.
- Category B – Images involving non-penetrative sexual activity, such as masturbation or indecent posing involving sexual context.
- Category C – Indecent images that do not fall within A or B but still meet the legal threshold of indecency, including erotic posing.
Each category influences the sentence, with Category A often resulting in custodial sentences, especially if distribution is involved.
Yes, deleted images can still be considered possession if they are recoverable and the prosecution can prove the accused had knowledge and control over them before deletion.
Even if the images are stored in a computer’s recycle bin, temporary folders, or unallocated disk space, they may be retrieved through forensic analysis. The courts may treat this as continued possession, especially if there is evidence the individual deliberately attempted to hide or destroy the material.
Yes, police have the technical capability to recover deleted images using forensic tools. During the execution of a search warrant or digital investigation, officers often seize computers, mobile phones, USB drives, and cloud accounts for detailed analysis.
- Digital forensic experts can retrieve files that were deleted but not securely erased
- Internet cache and residual data may also reveal attempts to view or download illegal material
- Deleted messaging history and encrypted apps may be examined, depending on access
Attempting to delete images does not guarantee protection from prosecution and may, in fact, be interpreted as an admission of guilt or consciousness of wrongdoing.