SHREWSBURY PAEDOPHILE DARREN LOYNTON SHARES CHILD ABUSE IMAGES LIKE POKEMON CARDS

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Shrewsbury, Darren Loynton, a 35-year-old resident of Westbury Road, Heath Farm, was found to have engaged in the distribution and possession of child abuse images in a manner that has been described as shockingly casual and methodical. The court proceedings revealed that Loynton had shared a significant number of indecent images of children online, treating the exchange of such material as if it were a trivial game, akin to trading collectible cards like Pokemon.

According to court reports, Loynton possessed a total of 285 photographs depicting child abuse. These images were not only stored on his personal computer but were also exchanged with a large online following. His Twitter account, which had approximately 1,500 followers, served as a platform for sharing and trading these illicit images. The court was told that Loynton’s online activity was part of a broader network of individuals interested in viewing and exchanging similar material.

The police investigation was initiated after authorities from West Mercia Police executed a search warrant at Loynton’s residence on June 28. The operation was prompted by a tip from the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) organization, which had identified that a computer in Shrewsbury was being used to distribute indecent images of children. During the search, police examined Loynton’s computer and discovered that it had been used to search for keywords related to child pornography. Chat logs were also recovered, revealing conversations between Loynton and other individuals who shared an interest in viewing such images.

Further analysis of his computer uncovered 1,271 images. While possession of these images was not illegal per se, police noted that they were indicative of Loynton’s interest in children. The images appeared to be family-type photographs, which Loynton had likely uploaded to social media sites, raising concerns about the nature of his online activity and potential access to more explicit material.

During police interviews, Loynton openly admitted to being a paedophile. He explicitly stated that he had a particular interest in girls aged between 13 and 16. In his own words, he told officers that he wanted to “touch young females between the ages of 13 and 16.” He also described his online behavior, revealing that he maintained a Twitter account with around 1,500 followers, all of whom shared an interest in viewing indecent images of children. Loynton explained that he engaged in a form of trading, exchanging images with others in a manner similar to trading Pokemon cards. He described his collection as a library, from which other users could select images to exchange for their own.

On July 12, Loynton appeared at Telford Magistrates Court, where he admitted to charges of possessing indecent images and two counts of distributing such images. The case was subsequently brought before Shrewsbury Crown Court for sentencing. His legal representative, Mr. Stephen Scully, highlighted that Loynton had been struggling emotionally following the death of his mother. Scully emphasized that Loynton had no desire to pursue some of his darker fantasies.

At the sentencing hearing, Judge Peter Barrie addressed the severity of Loynton’s actions, stating, “The seriousness of this case comes from what you did with the images.” Loynton was sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended for two years. Additionally, he was ordered to complete a 60-day rehabilitation activity requirement and 100 hours of unpaid work. The court also imposed a sexual harm prevention order and a notification order for ten years, which would prevent Loynton from working with children in any capacity. Furthermore, he was ordered to pay costs of £250 along with a victim surcharge. Loynton’s online activities and access to children are now heavily restricted as part of the court’s measures to prevent further harm.