Bodyguards to the Royals are usually pretty well screened.

Even so, every now and then a creep falls through the cracks.

Timothy Murfitt (below), a former soldier and bodyguard to Prince Harry, was busted for possession of child pornography.

The 47-year-old former soldier was working in London when police went to his home in Sevenoaks, Kent, in April last year, finding evidence of child pornography on his computer, reports The Telegraph.

Timothy Murfitt used search terms such as ‘toddler’ ‘kids’ and ‘baby girl pics’ when he searched for more than 10,000 disturbing images of children.

Prosecutor Mary Jacobson said Murfitt at first claimed he had only looked at adult pornography but when the hard drives were examined, more than 10,000 images were found, including more than 170 in the highest category involving children.

More than 380 extreme images showing adults having sex with animals were also uncovered at Murfitt’s home.

Here’s the really weird and disturbing part – despite overwhelming evidence of an unwell mind, Judge Martin Huseyin (below) praised him for his exemplary military service.

The judge said: “Your history is remarkable. This is utterly out of character.

“Given your co-operation and other factors, I am prepared to suspend the sentence.”

[…]”You had an exemplary military career, you put your own life at risk. You spent a lot of your life working very hard to protect other soldiers from harm.

Rebecca Nieto, as part of the defence, said such offences caused great harm, and Murfitt was “absolutely deeply ashamed of this behaviour”. She went on to say that Murfitt even went so far as to write a letter to Prince Harry requesting his help.

While the judge fawned over Murfitt’s military achievements, there seemed to be little or no consideration given to the children in the pornography that he was watching.

In a strange ruling, Murfitt was sentenced to six months suspended for two years, with 160 hours of unpaid work. His name will appear on the sex offenders’ register for seven years, and a sexual harm prevention order was made.

Let’s hope he gets the help he so clearly needs. I’d also like that judge to have a good hard think about whether protecting royalty and soldiers is really more important than protecting children.

[source:telegraph]