Aylesbury paedophile football coach has jail sentence reduced on appeal

A paedophile from Aylesbury who coached children's football teams has had his prison sentence reduced on appeal by nine months from 27 to 18 months in jail.

Marc Kenny, of Misbourne Close, Aylesbury, pleaded guilty to four offences relating to the creation and distribution of child abuse images online.

At his original hearing, Kenny admitted to distributing sexual images of children to hundreds of other predators online.

Using online applications to send the photos and communicate with others who share his sickening predilections.

Often sending images of youngsters which were followed or accompanied by 'vile' comments, the court heard.

Kenny had admitted to making 182 category A images, 76 category B images and 227 category C images.

His most disturbing offence was sharing a category A moving image of a baby, aged between eight months and 12 months of age, being horrifically abused.

Following his appeal, the 44-year-old now faces 18 months in jail, down from the 27 handed out at Aylesbury Crown Court on July 9.

Kenny is well-known in the Aylesbury community and worked with minors in his role at Aylesbury Town Corinthians FC, where he was welfare officer and director of football.

Previously, he worked as a coach at the Bucks football club.

His offences were carried out between September 17 and September 25 2020.

His defence team successfully argued at the Court of Appeal that Kenny's sentence was excessive relating to his fourth offence, for which he was ordered to serve 25 months.

Count four covered the distribution of an indecent image involving a child, his other three charges related to the creation of indecent images.

Kenny's legal representation argued receiving two years imprisonment alone was too high considering he only sent one awful moving image involving a child.

Her Honour Judge Usha Karu, recorder of Southwark, said: "We have come to the conclusion that that was too high and manifestly excessive In our judgment, the appropriate sentence for count 4 (the lead offence) is two and a half years' imprisonment.

"There should then be an upward adjustment of six months for counts 1, 2 and 3, making a sentence of three years' imprisonment.

"This would then be reduced by nine months for personal mitigation and for Covid conditions in prison, which brings the sentence down to 27 months' imprisonment. The appellant is entitled to full credit for his guilty plea, which reduces the sentence to one of 18 months' imprisonment on count 4.

"We have considered whether the sentences could have been lower or indeed whether they could have been suspended. However, we take the view, for the reasons already given, that an

immediate custodial sentence was necessary in this case.

"Accordingly, we quash the sentence of 25 months' imprisonment on count 4 and substitute for it a sentence of 18 months' imprisonment. The other sentences, which were ordered to run concurrently, remain unaltered. The appeal is allowed to that extent."

Other factors discussed during the appeals process, included Kenny's acknowledgement that he knew what he was doing was wrong, that he had no previous convictions and had briefly checked into a mental health clinic.

Aware his sexual perversions directly clashed with his role working with youngsters he undertook the Football Association's safeguarding course.

While Kenny was not an abuser himself he did discuss such actions on the messaging group he used to share images of minors.

At his original hearing at Aylesbury Crown Court Judge Francis Sheridan said: "It is put as one moving image at category A. No one should be misled into thinking that it was just one image as you sent it to hundreds of others with some truly despicable comments to go with it...It is most certainly not a victimless crime."

His role at Aylesbury Town Corinthians Youth Football Club assisting children with autism and other disabilities was considered.

But equally, the judge noted that the club had been adversely affected by his offending and had to work with the Football Association to ensure that it was safe for others, and to reassure the parents.

There was no evidence of abuse occurring at the Aylesbury club.

During the initial hearing Judge Sheridan weighed up the importance of protecting the public and deterring others from getting involved in such sickening activity.

Judge Sheridan also handed out a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 10 years which could not be appealed.