Portsmouth '˜Jimmy Savile victim' loses bid to quash child abuse image conviction
A MAN convicted of distributing an indecent image of a child has lost an appeal bid.
Steven George had his case considered by the Court of Appeal in London.
George, 66, of Balliol Road, Buckland, had handed the indecent image of a young girl to a News journalist in the corridor of Portsmouth Crown Court on the day of a friend’s sentencing for having child abuse images on November 2, 2016.
He admitted distributing the printed image on the first day of his trial in Portsmouth.
A judge had previously found his actions were not carried out for the purpose of sexual gratification.
George, who has written a book about being a victim of predatory paedophile Jimmy Savile, previously told a judge: ‘It is very difficult for me. I am a victim of sexual abuse. I was abused right into my late 20s. I was not intending to commit a crime whatsoever.
‘It is too late now and I fully accept that. I am somebody that has had no experience of pornography whatsoever.’
When he was sentenced in May last year George apologised ‘for wasting the court’s time’.
The appeal court rejected his bid to overturn his sentence and conviction on Friday last week.