His Dark Materials star Daniel Frogson pleads guilty to downloading hundreds of ‘sickening’ child abuse images

His Dark Materials actor Daniel Frogson pleaded guilty to downloading 848 indecent images of children, some as young as three years old, but has avoided jail time, instead receiving a suspended sentence.

The 21 year old actor, who is known for playing Tony Costa in HBO fantasy series His Dark Materials, and Tom in Netflix adventure comedy The Last Bus, had been viewing the indecent images since he was 17.

Frogson’s case was heard at Nottingham Crown Court, where it was revealed that among the images he had downloaded were 165 Category A pictures. These are the most serious types of indecent images and may contain penetrative sexual activity, sexual activity with an animal or sadism.

Judge Coupland handed Frogson an eight-month jail sentence suspended for 24 months, which means that if he abides by the terms of suspended sentence order, which include attending a 43-day sex offender’s rehabilitation programme and a further 15 rehabilitation sessions, and does not reoffend during the next two years, he will be spared prison.

During the sentencing Judge Coupland said that he does not accept Frogson’s claim not to have a sexual interest in children. He added: “The images I have seen are sickening. Each of them is a real child being abused for the pleasure of someone like you watching.”

Frogson will also be on the sex offender register for 10 years and was given a five-year sexual harm prevention order.

Frogson’s defence solicitor, Lauren Manuel, cited the actor’s Bafta winning role as a young boy living with drug use, and said that his life has been put on hold for a year as he waited for the outcome of the case.