CARL BRAVEY FROM SHOTTON COLLIERY JAILED OVER CHILD RAPE IMAGE OFFENSES IN DURHAM

In October 2017, a man from Shotton Colliery named Carl Bravey faced justice in Durham Crown Court after being found guilty of possessing a large collection of disturbing images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of young children. The court heard that Bravey, aged 24, was identified as posing a 'high risk' to children due to the nature of his offenses, which involved the possession of indecent images and extreme pornography.

Prosecutor Shaun Dryden detailed that police officers executed a search warrant at Bravey’s residence in Wheatley Hill in June of the previous year. During the search, authorities uncovered seven of the most severe types of child abuse images, featuring children as young as seven years old. In total, the police seized 1,337 indecent images and videos, along with 548 files containing extreme pornography. These materials represented a significant and disturbing collection of child exploitation content.

Initially, Bravey attempted to justify his possession of the illicit material by claiming that it might have been on his computer due to file-sharing software he used, and he suggested that other individuals could have been responsible for the files. However, he later changed his stance and pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children and one count of possessing extreme pornography.

During the court proceedings, Bravey was described as someone who claimed not to derive sexual arousal from the images but admitted to experiencing a thrill from viewing material he knew was morally and legally wrong. The judge, Christopher Prince, emphasized the gravity of the offense, stating, “You are currently assessed as posing a high risk of harm to children. It is important that people understand that children are the victims when these images are created. Children are once again the victim each time a perpetrator looks at them online. It is an insult to that person and it is an offence every time they are viewed.”

As part of his sentencing, Bravey was sentenced to 21 months in prison. Additionally, he was ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register for ten years. The judge also imposed a sexual harm prevention order to restrict Bravey’s future conduct, underscoring the court’s concern for public safety and the protection of children. Judge Prince concluded by highlighting the pain inflicted on the young victims and the potential danger posed by individuals like Bravey, stating, “These are young children. They were clearly in some pain. The public is, quite rightly, concerned that persons who commit these offences can go on to commit contact offences.”