Former MP Eric Joyce Sentenced for Child Sexual Abuse Image
On Friday 7th August 2020, Eric Joyce, former MP and Army Major, was sentenced for possessing an indecent film of a child.
He admitted to making the indecent image on 7 July 2020 at Ipswich Crown Court.
The abusive film included numerous children, including one thought to be as young as 12 months old. The footage was considered to be depicting the most serious type of abuse; Category A.
He was sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended for two years, and will have to complete 150 hours of Community Payback.
Joyce has also been made subject to Sexual Harm Prevention Order and ordered to attend ‘18-day rehabilitation activity’
On sentencing, Mr Justice Edis said:
“That film showed the penetrative sexual abuse of very young children. That these acts of abuse happened is because there are people like you who want to watch these films. If there was no market, those children wouldn’t be subjected to these very serious offences.”
Joyce was a Labour MP for 12 years between 2000-2012, and became an independent MP in 2012, until March 2015. He was arrested for these offences in November 2018.
