Ex Falkirk MP Joyce receives sentence for child sex offence

Appearing at Ipswich Crown Court earlier today after pleading guilty to a charge of making an indecent photograph of a child, Joyce received an eight month prison sentence suspended for two years and was ordered to complete 150 unpaid work in the community.

The ex-army officer and former Labour MP for Falkirk from 2000 to 2012, has also been placed on the sex offenders register.

Police stated Joyce (59), who now lives in Worlingworth, Suffolk, was arrested back in November 2018.

Between August 7, 2013 and November 6, 2018 he made an indecent photograph of a child.

Prosecutors said the file, found on a device, was a movie file classed as a Category A image.

It was stated the 51-second movie, found on a device, “depicts a number of children”, including a child reportedly as young as 12-months-old.

Judge Peters told the court Joyce claimed he accessed the video "via an email which he says was a spam email".

The court heard he was drinking heavily at the time of the offence and had now undergone work with the Lucy Faithfull Foundation and a psychotherapist.

A National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) Scotland spokesperson said: “Anyone accessing indecent images of children is helping to fuel a foul industry that thrives on inflicting pain and suffering.

“This problem cannot be solved by law enforcement alone - it is imperative that tech companies commit extra resources to prevent this material being shared, and to ensure it is removed as soon it appears online.”

On his website last month, Joyce stated: “I will make no comment from now until all legal processes are at a close. At that point, I will make a full statement.”

Joyce left the Labour Party to serve as an independent MP for Falkirk in 2012 and stepped down before the 2015 general election.