RADSTOCK PENSIONER COLIN BIGDEN CAUGHT FILMING NAKED GIRLS WITH SECRET SPY CAMERAS

In November 2016, a disturbing case emerged involving Colin Bigden, a pensioner from Radstock, who was found guilty of setting up covert surveillance devices to film young girls in various states of undress. The case was heard at Bristol Crown Court, revealing the extent of Bigden's disturbing activities and the measures taken by the justice system to address his crimes.

Bigden, aged 67 and residing on Grove Wood Road in Haydon, near Radstock, was accused of installing a hidden spy camera with the intent to secretly record minors. The court heard that he targeted girls aged between four and 15, capturing footage that focused on their private areas, including their genitals and underwear. The investigation uncovered that Bigden had also transformed a spare room in his home into what was described as a 'DVD factory,' where he processed and prepared illicit footage for distribution.

Prosecutor Edward Hetherington detailed the gravity of the offenses, stating that Bigden had filmed a four-year-old girl, with particular attention paid to her knickers and genital region. Additionally, he had wired a spy camera to record two older girls, often capturing them while they were naked or exposing their private parts. The police investigation was initiated after authorities in Canada provided information about a firm in their country that was supplying DVDs containing footage of naked boys, which led to the discovery of Bigden's activities.

During the police search of his residence, officers found a fully equipped DVD production setup, including blank DVDs, labeling materials, and a computer with a DVD burning drive. The search also uncovered a collection of covert footage showing girls' chests and private areas, along with a significant number of indecent images of children. It was revealed that Bigden had downloaded and distributed these images to buyers as far away as Germany. The police found a total of 1,624 still photographs depicting naked girls aged between nine and 11.

Bigden pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including three counts of voyeurism, 17 counts of making indecent images of children, and four counts of distributing such images. Despite the severity of his crimes, the judge, James Patrick, opted for a relatively lenient sentence, suspending a two-year prison term for two years. The judge condemned Bigden's actions as 'disgusting' and expressed his disappointment that such offenses, which first came to light three years prior, had continued for so long.

In addition to the suspended sentence, Bigden was subjected to a four-month curfew, requiring him to remain at home from 6 pm to 2 am. He was ordered to undergo 60 days of sexual offender treatment and to register as a sex offender for the next ten years. Furthermore, he was issued a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order, which prohibits him from unrestricted internet access and from having unsupervised contact with children under 16. The court's decision reflects the serious nature of his crimes and the ongoing efforts to prevent further harm.