BRAIN EVANS FROM HALKYN FACES CHILD ABUSE IMAGE CHARGES AT MOLD CROWN COURT

In January 2014, a man from Halkyn, identified as Brian Evans, appeared before Mold Crown Court to face serious allegations related to the possession and creation of indecent images of children. Evans, aged 55 and residing at Ochr y Bryn in Halkyn, entered a plea of guilty to the charges, although he maintained that his actions were motivated by research purposes rather than any sexual interest in the images.

During the hearing, Evans' legal representative, Oliver King, explained to the court that his client believed the images were intended solely for research. King emphasized that Evans did not have a sexual interest in the material, which he claimed was used for some form of investigative or academic purpose. However, the presiding judge, Niclas Parry, expressed reservations about this explanation and decided to adjourn the case for an early guilty plea hearing. The judge clarified that the court would need to determine the basis of Evans' plea, as it would significantly influence the sentencing decision.

Judge Parry also noted that the prosecution was not convinced by Evans' stated reasoning. He explained that the court would need to explore what was in the defendant’s mind at the time of the offense, which would be addressed in the pre-sentence report ordered by the court. This report would help establish Evans' mental state and intentions during the period when the alleged offenses occurred.

Oliver King acknowledged that by claiming the images were for research, Evans was limiting the court’s options for sentencing. The defense argued that this stance might restrict the court to impose a punishment rather than consider rehabilitative measures. Despite this, Evans was remanded on bail until the following month, with strict conditions imposed. He was ordered not to have any unsupervised contact with children under the age of 16 and was prohibited from using any electronic devices to access the internet during this period.

Evans faces multiple charges, including four counts of making indecent photographs of a child at levels one, two, and three, covering the period from December 2012 to March 2013. Additionally, he is accused of possessing 70 prohibited images. The case continues to develop as further investigations and proceedings are scheduled.