In 2020, the Offender Database recorded that Mark Blackwell, then 69, of East Meon Road, Clanfield, Hampshire, was jailed for four years and four months for taking indecent videos of two young girls. On Monday, 20 January 2020, Blackwell appeared at Portsmouth Crown Court for sentencing. The court reported that the defendant, who uses a wheelchair, had taken the girls into woods in Hampshire and videoed them in provocative poses.
The investigation established that Blackwell had a history of sexual offending dating back to 1972, when he was convicted of assaulting a girl under 14. Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary reported that during a second visit to his home on 31 January—two weeks after his initial arrest—officers discovered a new laptop containing perverted search terms and an image of a naked child. The prosecution reported that the videos taken in the woods featured close-ups of the victims’ genitalia and that the images had been retained by the defendant for a long period.
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
The court reported that Blackwell had denied the charges, claiming he took the images “without any sexual intent” and suggesting he had merely “strayed off the path.” Portsmouth Crown Court heard that the defendant was convicted of six counts of making indecent images, although he was cleared of assault charges. The prosecution reported that the evidence, including the provocative nature of the videos and the presence of new abuse material following his arrest, demonstrated a clear and persistent sexual interest in children.
Judge Timothy Mousley QC noted that Blackwell’s attempts to downplay his actions were rejected, highlighting his significant record of similar behaviour. For his actions in the Hampshire woods and his home in Clanfield, the defendant was told that his health and age did not exempt him from the consequences of his crimes. The judge noted that the severity of the long-term retention of the material and the active role he took in creating new abuse videos necessitated an immediate custodial term.
Sentence and Statutory Requirements
For his crimes in England, Mark Blackwell was handed:
- Custodial Sentence: Four years and four months in prison.
- Sex Offenders Register: Notification requirements are in effect for life.
- SHPO: A lifetime Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) restricting his internet use.
- Judicial Oversight: Sentenced at Portsmouth Crown Court following a trial.
- Criminal Record: Convicted of six indecent image charges.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Blackwell is managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) by Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary and the prison estate. Due to his “recidivist” history and his attempt to acquire new abuse material immediately after his arrest in Clanfield, Hampshire, his management is subject to high-level oversight by the Public Protection Unit.
As a member of the Sex Offenders Register, Blackwell must comply with notification requirements regarding his identity and residence in East Meon Road, Clanfield, for the remainder of his life. Authorities state that his lifetime SHPO is a critical safeguarding measure to ensure his digital activity is monitored and he cannot access further material behind closed doors. Any breach of his registration conditions or the terms of his lifetime sexual harm prevention order will result in immediate arrest and a return to Portsmouth Crown Court.
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