Academic who tried importing child sex doll from China avoids jail after police found child abuse images on his computer following customs tip-off

• Malcolm Young was put on the radar of Northumbria Police buying the sex doll 
• 61-year-old’s purchase was intercepted by Border Force officials, raising alarm 
• Following an eight day long trial, a jury found Young guilty of all five counts 

An academic has been caught with child abuse images after buying a child sex doll from China that looked like his ex-girlfriend.

Tech professional Malcolm Young was put on the radar of Northumbria Police when he attempted to import the 3ft2, flat-chested doll, with clothing and accessories, in 2017.

The 61-year-old’s purchase was intercepted by Border Force officials who told detectives of their concerns about the package.

Officers visited Young’s home in the East Woodburn area of Northumberland to question him about the doll and seized his computers and phone.

Tech professional Malcolm Young was put on the radar of Northumbria Police when he attempted to import the 3ft2, flat-chested doll

Undated handout photo issued by Northumbria Police of a child like sex doll imported by Malcolm Young, the former academic and businessman

The electronics were reviewed and officers uncovered indecent images of children on his computer that Young had tried to delete.

Young, of East Woodburn, Northumberland, was charged with four counts of making indecent images of children and one count of tax evasion, concerning the doll.

He denied his guilt and tried to convince a jury at Newcastle Crown Court that he purchased the small doll, not based on its likeness to a child but because it resembled an athletic female body type.

Prosecutor Graham O’Sullivan told the court: ‘He said he had ordered a doll that looked like an ex-girlfriend, that he had cancelled, and had not ordered any child sex doll.’

Young had also claimed that the deleted images found on his device were not his but may have been made by people visiting his home while attending parties.

Following an eight day long trial, a jury found Young guilty of all five counts.

The court heard the charges related to one Category A image, the most serious, two Category B and 35 Category C.

He was sentenced to 18 months in jail, suspended for two years, and was ordered to carry out rehabilitation and has been subjected to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Also, he must pay £9,480 prosecution costs.

At his sentence hearing today, Christopher Knox, defending, said Young, who had been living in Spain and has a boat there, made his money through tech industries.

But Mr Knox added: ‘He has had a very successful career that has been totally destroyed.

‘He won’t be able to be employed by anyone ever again in the fields in which he has excelled.’

Judge Stephen Earl sentenced Young to 18 months imprisonment, suspended for two years, with rehabilitation requirements.

Young was even photographed with former Prime Minister who came to the opening of his company e-Therapeutics.

The judge said Young had ‘lost a lot’, including a ‘chancellorship at the University of Newcastle’, due to his offending and added: ‘His fall from grace is long and hard’.

The judge added: ‘This whole issue came to light as a result of the fact the defendant had ordered what can only be described as a child sex doll.’

Judge Earl said Young had claimed in his defence he had not wanted a child sex doll and had cancelled what he ordered, which was a doll he ‘wanted to look like Dawn, his former partner’.

Young was even photographed with former Prime Minister who came to the opening of his company e-Therapeutics

The judge said Young had produced pictures of ‘Dawn’ during the trial, who was described as a ‘small adult’.

Detective Constable Alison Felton led the investigation for Northumbria Police and said after the conviction Young thought he was ‘above the law’.

She said: ‘This has been a long and protracted investigation involving the making of indecent images and the importation of a child-like sex doll.

‘We are committed to making sure that offenders are brought to justice, no matter who they are or however long it takes.

‘Young thought that he was above the law. He has taken no responsibility for his crimes and the jury saw through the preposterous account he gave to the court.’

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