Bournemouth child psychiatrist had thousands of indecent images

Dr Adrian Marsden, 60, who worked as an adolescent mental health psychiatrist at Pebble Lodge treatment centre in Bournemouth, had pornographic pictures of children as young as eight years old.

His 10 year fetish was exposed at an amateur dramatics evening when he asked a fellow performer for help downloading an app on to his phone for 'learning his lines'.

She was horrified to discover a thumbnail to an indecent image of a child on his device and later confronted him about it.

She then reported Marsden, a married father-of-two, to the police and he was arrested at his place of work the next day.

Police found 1,982 Category C images and 42 more serious prohibited images showing 'corporal punishment' of children on his computer which were stockpiled between May 2010 and January 2020.

Mitigating, David Hurley said Marsden had never 'breached trust' by acting on his urges with any of his vulnerable patients.

He said that he had been suspended by the General Medical Council and was likely to be 'struck off' following a disciplinary tribunal.

Marsden was now said to be "heavily engaged" in Sex Addicts Anonymous.

Marsden pleaded guilty to charges of making indecent photos of children and possessing prohibited images of children under the Protection of Child Act (1978) at Poole Magistrates' Court.

Marsden, of Brownsea Road, Poole, was fined £2,500 and given a five year Sexual Harm Prevention Order. He was also given an 18 month community order and told to pay £85 costs and a £85 victim surcharge.

In sentencing judge Stephen Nicholls said: "The defendant occupied a position where members of the public would expect a professional to be trusted and if they knew his background it would undoubtedly have been concerning to them.

"You have lost your good character and your professional reputation."

Following the case, the Dorset HealthCare Trust said Marsden no longer works for the organisation.

Eugine Yafele, Dorset HealthCare chief executive, said: "As soon as we were made aware of it (this matter), Dr Marsden was suspended while we launched our own internal inquiry.

"Dr Marsden no longer works for the trust. We have also informed the General Medical Council.

"It is important to stress there is no evidence these offences involved any of our patients, or were connected to them in any way.

"Nonetheless, we are shocked and appalled by what has happened, and Dr Marsden's colleagues at Pebble Lodge are deeply shaken."

Former patient 'truly disgusted'

by Alex Cutler

A Weymouth resident, a former patient of Marsden, expressed their horror at discovering the details of this case and said they were 'disgusted' that he avoided prison.

The person, who has asked to remain anonymous, said: "I was 16 years old when I first met Dr Adrian Mardsen. He was my psychiatric doctor in charge of my care at Pebble Lodge for seven months.

"Knowing he was in charge of my care and many other vulnerable young people at this time whilst also downloading and viewing indecent images of children truly scares me. He should never have been allowed to work with anyone in a care environment let alone vulnerable mentally ill minors.

"The fact someone could do something so vile and have so little consequence makes me worry for the world. I have had many people who were under his care message me and say how much this news has affected them and their mental health. It has made a lot of people paranoid knowing the fact that someone so heavily involved with them could turn out to be so untrustworthy and sick minded.

"I am truly disgusted that his case didn’t come to more. He deserves nothing less than a prison sentence; he wouldn’t even suffer half as much in prison as the victims of his crimes.

"My heart goes out to his wife and children at this time."

Dorset HealthCare has provided a dedicated phone number – 01305 363075 – where people can discuss any concerns they have or access support if they need it.