A 30-year-old man was sentenced to 2½ years in prison yesterday after he was found guilty of a string of child pornography charges.

Daniel Rocha was jailed after conviction on seven charges of accessing pornographic images and videos. Puisne Judge Carlisle Greaves dismissed a defence plea for a suspended sentence.

Mr Justice Greaves said: “It is well established in this jurisdiction by the authorities that an offence of this nature brings about an immediate custodial sentence.”

He added: “Persons who access and possess this type of material, provide the market for those who make it, who commit the sexual acts against children, and who market it.

“Without those willing to access and possess it, then maybe there would be less of those who are prepared to make it and distribute it.”

Rocha, from Devonshire, was found guilty of the offences in Supreme Court by a unanimous verdict in March.

Javone Rogers, for the Crown, told Mr Greaves yesterday that a sentence of three to four years was appropriate. He said that child pornography was “condemned in all civilised societies”.

He added: “There is a contempt and an abhorrence that is felt towards offences of this nature and for good reason.”

Mr Rogers said that people who produced child pornography exploited the most vulnerable members of society.

He added: “Without those that access such material there would be no market for its production.”

Mr Rogers said that Rocha had sought out the child pornography with a “zealous fervour”.

He added: “His offences were the result of a conscious effort to access some of the worst material known to society.”

Mr Rogers highlighted that Rocha had used multiple peer-to-peer networks to access the material over several years.

He said: “It is clear that this offender did not see any reason to stop his offending behaviour.”

However, Jerome Lynch QC, Rocha’s defence counsel, suggested an 18-month suspended sentence for his client.

He said that his client and his family were “absolutely devastated”.

Mr Lynch added Rocha was “very anxious to try, as best as he can, to put this behind him”.

He added: “The way in which he might achieve that is through the assistance of a clinical psychologist and being given the kind of help he clearly needs, in an individual environment.”

Rocha told the court: “I still find it very difficult to believe this situation.”

Mr Justice Greaves ordered that time Rocha has spent in custody since conviction should be taken into account.

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