ADAM CULSHAW FROM HUNTS CROSS AND SEALAND JAILED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY OFFENSES IN FLINTSHIRE AND DEESIDE

In a disturbing case that spans multiple locations including Hunts Cross, Sealand, Flintshire, and Deeside, police have uncovered a series of serious offenses involving the possession and distribution of indecent images of children committed by Adam Culshaw, a man with a troubling history of sexual offenses.

It was in May 2017 that authorities identified a particular computer address being used to download and view indecent images of minors. Upon investigation, the address was traced back to Culshaw, a registered sex offender, which added a grave layer of concern to the case. The police's discovery was particularly alarming given Culshaw’s prior criminal record, which dates back to 2012 when he was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court for similar offenses involving the creation and possession of indecent images, including extreme material.

At Mold Crown Court, Culshaw, aged 27 and residing on Villa Road in Sealand, faced justice once again. He pleaded guilty to making 11 indecent images, two of which were classified as the most severe Category A images. As a result, he was sentenced to eight months in prison. The court also imposed a 10-year registration on the sex offender register and issued a sexual harm prevention order that will last for a decade, restricting his activities and monitoring his behavior.

Judge Rhys Rowlands emphasized that Culshaw’s actions were not isolated incidents. The court was informed that in March of the same year, police executed a search warrant at Culshaw’s residence in Deeside. During this search, additional images were discovered on his computer tablet. Culshaw was interviewed by police and candidly admitted to using peer-to-peer file-sharing software to download the illicit material. Further investigations revealed that he had engaged in conversations of a sexual nature in online chat rooms with other adults, discussing the abuse of children.

While the number of images was described as modest, the judge highlighted that the nature of the offenses was deeply disturbing. The fact that Culshaw had previously been given an opportunity to address his behavior made his current actions even more reprehensible. The police, acting on intelligence, had executed the search warrant early in the morning on March 1. Although Culshaw was at work at the time, the images were found on his tablet, and the web history indicated that he had downloaded previous images as well. The images were accessible in real-time, and file names suggested ongoing activity involving the download of further material.

Adding to the gravity of Culshaw’s offenses, the court was told that he had engaged in conversations with other adults in chat rooms about sexually abusing children, further demonstrating a pattern of disturbing behavior. The images found were classified as “live,” meaning they were readily accessible, and the evidence pointed to ongoing activity.

In a separate but related case from November 2011, Culshaw’s dark secret was exposed while he was serving as an RAF mechanic. Despite being praised by colleagues and officers as an outstanding service member, Culshaw was secretly hoarding thousands of child porn images. His double life was uncovered after a routine exchange of hardware; a hard drive he had swapped was checked by a Maplins employee, who discovered a deleted video of a young girl being abused. Police subsequently seized Culshaw’s laptop from RAF Brize Norton in Oxford, where he was stationed.

Expert analysis of the hardware revealed a staggering 3,299 indecent images of children and 218 extreme pornography files. Judge David Aubrey QC described the images as representing the abuse of children, emphasizing the severity of Culshaw’s actions. Despite the gravity of his offenses, Culshaw, then living in Kingsholme Park, Hunts Cross, received a sentence that was suspended for two years, with conditions including supervision and mandatory attendance at a sex offender treatment program. The court’s decision reflected the seriousness of his crimes but also considered the potential for rehabilitation.

These cases underscore the ongoing threat posed by individuals like Culshaw, whose actions have caused significant harm and distress. The courts have responded with firm sentences, aiming to protect the community and prevent further offenses.