ADAM MEDLEY CAUGHT IN WESTHOUGHTON WITH INDECENT CHILD IMAGES

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Westhoughton, a man named Adam Medley was found to possess indecent images of children in his home, leading to a police raid and subsequent court proceedings. The incident came to light in October 2019, when law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Medley's residence in Megfield, Westhoughton, based on intelligence suggesting his involvement in illicit online activities.

According to the prosecution, David Lees, the authorities had gathered information indicating that Medley had been in contact with other individuals, requesting them to send him inappropriate images of children. It was emphasized during the court hearing that there was no evidence to suggest that Medley himself had been actively distributing or sharing these images, but his possession of such material was enough to warrant serious legal action.

During the police search, multiple electronic devices, including computers and mobile phones, were confiscated from Medley's bedroom. An examination of these devices revealed a disturbing collection of indecent images depicting children aged between four and eleven years old. Among the devices seized was a Microsoft phone and a laptop, both of which contained illegal material.

Prosecutor David Lees detailed the findings: the phone held six of the most serious Category A images, along with one Category B image. The laptop contained two Category A images and thirteen Category C images. These categories denote the severity and nature of the images, with Category A representing the most serious offenses involving the worst forms of child exploitation.

Medley, aged 23 at the time, was described as someone of previously good character, and he pleaded guilty to the charge of downloading indecent images of children. His admission of guilt was taken into account during sentencing, which was handed down by the Honorary Recorder of Bolton, Judge Martin Walsh.

In his ruling, Judge Walsh imposed a three-year community order on Medley. This included 30 days of rehabilitation activities and participation in a sex offender treatment program, aimed at addressing his behavior and preventing future offenses. Additionally, Medley was placed on the sex offenders’ register and was subject to a sexual harm prevention order for a period of five years.

Judge Walsh emphasized the seriousness of such crimes, stating, “I want to make it absolutely crystal clear that offences of this sort are not victimless crimes. The images show real abuse of real children.” The court’s decision underscores the importance of safeguarding children and the ongoing efforts to combat online exploitation and abuse.