Shell executive caught viewing child porn at home when he accidentally sent vile images to be printed at oil giant's UK HQ

Anthony Sturman was caught downloading child porn when he printed off images of child abuse using a work printer

A senior manager at oil giant Shell was caught downloading indecent images of children at home when he mistakenly tried to print out some pages on his work printer, a court has heard.
Anthony Sturman, 59, sent six pages containing indecent material to a printer at the Waterloo headquarters of Shell UK, where he had worked for 15 years.
Sturman was viewing child porn at his country home in Kent when he pressed the print button. His PC was linked to his work system, so the images were produced at his office.
Seven of the images printed were categorised at level four, the second highest level of abuse.
A horrified colleague discovered the images when she unclogged a jammed printer on the 18th floor at the Shell Centre in Waterloo on June 28 last year.
There were 42 indecent images across six pieces of paper, all in thumbnail size, Inner London Crown Court heard.
Darren Ponds, prosecuting, said Ruth Elliott, a colleague at Shell, had discovered the images.
'A jam had occurred and when that jam was fixed the backed up items began to print. A number of pages of indecent images of children were printed.'
Examination of the data from the printer revealed the items had come from Sturman's computer and he was arrested two days later.
Yogain Chandarana, defending, said Sturman had destroyed the life he had built for himself.
'He has actively sought treatment for himself since his arrest 18 months ago,' he said. 'He has laid out his soul in front of probation officers.'
'Clearly though, he did not intend to produce these images on a work printer. He has caused a complete destruction of the life he had built...because of his behaviour.'
Judge Lindsay Burns sentenced Sturman to eight months in prison, suspended for two years, and ordered him to take part in a sex offenders programme.

The Shell HQ on London's South Bank was where the printed images were discovered by a Shell colleague

'You do not pose any significant risk, and the chances of you re-offending are at the lowest level,' he said.
'The level of intention in this case sets this apart from other, far more serious cases. I have to save that the view you have taken, rather unhappily, is rare in the courts, with other offenders like you.
'You have shown considerable remorse and understanding for what you have done.'
Sturman, of Faversham, Kent, admitted one count of producing indecent images of children.
He will also have to sign onto the sex offender's register.