Jury to decide in naked boys pictures trial

Mike Buckley

The jury in the trial of an Oldham councillor has been told it is for them to decide if the images of naked boys found on his computer are indecent.

More than 300 pictures and video clips were found on 67-year old Mike Buckley's laptop and hard drive after police searched his Dobcross home in March 2014. Buckley refused to accept the images, of boys aged 6-17, were indecent.

Defence counsel Sarah Reade argued there was no case to answer in the trial at Manchester Crown Court. She said there was no evidence of provocative behaviour in the images: "The jury may well feel that what the prosecution has presented is no more than nudity."

But judge Jonathan Foster QC rejected the submission, ruling that it was up to the jury to decide whether the pictures were indecent, and even if the boys pictured should be classed as children.

He told the panel: "You have to decide whether individual images offend recognised standards of propriety. You are the custodians of such standards."

Saddleworth parish councillor Mr Buckley pleaded not guilty to 17 counts of making indecent pictures.

The court was told by Juliet Berry, prosecuting, that 16 of the counts were specimens, representing a course of behaviour. Mr Buckley chose not take the witness stand to give evidence during his trial.

Judge Foster told the jury nudity in itself didn’t necessarily involve indecency; the jury had to consider the content and context of the images.

(Proceeding)