Salisbury surgeon accessed dark web for indecent images of children

A consultant plastic surgeon who downloaded a TOR browser so that he could access the dark web for indecent images of children has been convicted today (23 December 2022) at Salisbury Crown Court.

Mansoor Khan, aged 54 and from Salisbury, was found guilty of three counts of making indecent images of children after he was found with 106 images on his mobile phone.

He was identified following a referral to the National Crime Agency as a user of a Snapchat account that had accessed indecent images of children. After his arrest, the investigation found that he had also downloaded a TOR browser so that he could use the dark web to access indecent images of children, using search terms that left no doubt at all about what he was looking for.

The images found on his mobile phone included 31 Category A images, which are the most serious in nature.

Lucy Linington, CPS Wessex Senior Crown Prosecutor said: “Khan tried to explain away his reasons for these images being found on his phone claiming that it was part of his parental responsibility to search for such content to make sure his children were safe.

“Clearly such a claim was utterly fanciful, and the jury were left in no doubt whatsoever of his guilt when presented with all of the evidence.

“We are working closely with the National Crime Agency and the police to ensure that people looking for indecent images of children are prosecuted and brought to justice.

“Our message is clear, you might think you are acting anonymously on the dark web so that you can’t be caught, but you will be and we will prosecute you.”