ANDREW LITTEN CAUGHT IN CHEPSTOW WITH ILLEGAL CHILD ABUSE IMAGES

In a case that has shocked the community of Chepstow, a middle-aged man named Andrew Litten, aged 49, was found to possess a significant collection of illegal images depicting child abuse. The discovery was made following a tip-off from the Child Exploitation and Online Protection centre (CEOP), which prompted an investigation by Gwent Police.

On November 5 of the previous year, authorities executed a search warrant at a property located on Lewis Way in Chepstow. During the operation, officers seized multiple electronic devices, including mobile phones and tablets, which were later examined for evidence. The following day, a man from Abergavenny brought in Litten’s laptop to the police station, claiming he had been asked to repair it, which provided further insight into the case.

Prosecutor Meirion Davies revealed that the laptop contained over 100 images classified as illegal and indecent, including the most serious categories A and B. These images depicted children in sexualized and abusive situations, constituting a grave violation of the law. Litten was questioned about the material, and he claimed that he sometimes “found” such images on his computer and was unaware that he was actively downloading or saving them. He insisted that his viewing was unintentional and that he did not realize it was illegal to view such images or that they were being stored on his device.

Further investigation uncovered that Litten had entered the search term “Naked Pre-Teen Art” into his computer. During subsequent interviews, he admitted that his interest in the internet involved searching for images, driven by what he described as “morbid curiosity.” Despite this, he maintained that his searches for “Naked Pre-Teen Art” were motivated by a desire to find artistic photographs and that he did not derive sexual gratification from viewing them.

In mitigation, Litten’s legal representative, Jonathan Lewis, highlighted that his client had no prior convictions and expressed deep remorse for his actions. Mr. Lewis explained that Litten was unaware that viewing images could lead to them being stored on his device and that he had not intended to download or keep such material.

However, the court, presided over by Recorder David Aubrey QC, emphasized the seriousness of the offense. The judge stated that his primary duty was to protect the public and, as a result, sentenced Litten to a three-year community order. This included participation in sex offenders’ treatment programs to address his fascination with such material. Additionally, Litten was placed on the sex offenders’ register for five years and was subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) designed to restrict his future internet use.

Recorder Aubrey issued a stern warning, stating that any breach of the orders would result in a return to court and a potential custodial sentence. The case serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing efforts to combat online child exploitation and the importance of law enforcement in safeguarding vulnerable victims from such heinous crimes.