Northamptonshire man who downloaded sex video of seven-year-old is spared prison

Matthew Dioni, of, Manor Road, Rothwell was instead ordered to carry out a 36 month community service order at Northampton Crown Court yesterday, which will see him attend a sex offender treatment program. He will also be subject to a supervision order.

His house was searched on August 17, 2014, after internet providers alerted police to a number of suspicious downloads at the address.

Officers seized a memory stick and laptop from his bedroom, finding 150 indecent images involving children aged under 16 on the devices.

A total of 127 of those were labelled by police as ‘category A’, the most serious.

Prosecuting, Victoria Rose, said: “Everything that was seized was a video.

“Certainly from the description of one, it appears that was of a seven-year-old.”

Ms Rose said there was evidence Dioni had used file sharing sites, but no evidence he had distributed any of the images.

He was arrested following the search and was fully compliant with police.

In his defence at court yesterday, Alex Ball spoke only to refer judge John Fowler to pre-prepared statements.

Judge Fowler said the offence could well have landed Dioni in jail, but said he was convinced the defendant had the capability for “rehabilitation.”

He said: “You need to recognise that your behaviour has been beyond the pale, such that imprisonment is appropriate.

“Without professional help, neither you nor the community can be satisfied that the desires that have led you to commit these offences will not continue to build.

“But, as I have already referred to, where there is sufficient prospect of rehabilitation, a community order can be appropriate.”