DANIEL GOLDING FROM RHOSTYLLEN CAUGHT WITH CHILD IMAGES IN WREXHAM COURT

In January 2019, Daniel Golding, a 32-year-old resident of Rhostyllen near Wrexham, faced serious allegations related to the possession and creation of indecent images of children. The case unfolded at Mold Crown Court, where Golding was brought to answer charges concerning his activities involving illegal and highly disturbing material.

Golding claimed that the indecent images found on his laptop must have been there prior to his ownership, asserting that he had purchased the device second hand. However, investigators conducted a thorough re-examination of the computer and its associated storage devices, which ultimately discredited his assertion. Forensic experts confirmed that the operating system was registered in Golding’s name, and there was clear evidence indicating that more recent files had been created on the device, suggesting ongoing activity rather than a static, pre-existing collection.

Further investigation involved examining a separate hard drive linked to Golding. This drive was found to have a user profile under the name 'Dan,' and an email address associated with the defendant was discovered on it. These findings linked the digital evidence directly to Golding, strengthening the case against him.

During the court proceedings, Golding admitted to three charges of making indecent images by downloading them, along with possessing an extreme image. The prosecution, led by barrister Maria Massellis, outlined that Golding had viewed indecent images of children between 2012 and 2017, and had subsequently deleted some of these files. Although file sharing software was detected on his devices, the prosecution clarified that there was no concrete evidence to suggest that Golding had shared these images with others.

Golding pleaded guilty to creating four Level A images, which are classified as the most serious category, one Level B image, and two Level C images. The most disturbing of these was an extreme image depicting sexual activity between a woman and a dog.

Judge Rhys Rowlands addressed Golding directly, emphasizing the gravity of his actions and the potential consequences. He presented Golding with a stark choice: face a relatively short custodial sentence or undertake a longer community order aimed at addressing his underlying issues. Ultimately, the judge decided on a two-year community order, which includes 30 days of rehabilitation to help him confront and manage his behavior.

In addition to the community order, Golding was fined £1,000, with additional costs of £535 and an surcharge of £85. The court also issued a destruction order for the illegal material, mandated that Golding register as a sex offender with the police for five years, and imposed a five-year sexual harm prevention order to restrict his activities and protect the community from further harm.