INCE MAN DAVID BOWDEN ESCAPES JAIL AFTER CHILD ABUSE IMAGE SCANDAL IN WIGAN

In a case that has shocked the community of Ince, Wigan, 65-year-old David Bowden has been found guilty of possessing and creating numerous indecent images of children, yet he has been spared from serving time behind bars. The allegations against Bowden, a resident of Taylors Lane in Ince, span over a period of six years, during which he is accused of producing and storing images depicting young children in sexually explicit scenarios.

Bowden faced three separate charges in connection with the creation of these images, which were classified into all three legal categories of severity. Among these, 47 images were designated as Category A, indicating the most serious level of abuse, while an additional 19 images fell into Category B, and 26 into Category C. The severity of these charges prompted Wigan and Leigh magistrates to refer the case to a higher court, specifically a judge and jury, due to the gravity of the allegations.

When Bowden appeared before a Bolton Crown Court, he did not contest the charges and admitted to the crimes at the earliest opportunity. The court was informed that police, acting on intelligence received, executed a search warrant at Bowden’s residence in Ince at approximately 6:55 a.m. on September 13, 2017. During the search, officers seized computer equipment, which was later examined by technical experts. The analysis of the hard drive revealed a collection of both still images and videos depicting children, some of whom appeared to be between the ages of eight and eleven. The files included material that was accessible and some that was not, indicating a disturbing collection of child abuse images.

Further details disclosed during the hearing indicated that the images involved young children, primarily aged between eight and eleven years old. The evidence was compelling enough for the court to impose a sentence that included a five-year registration on the Sex Offenders’ Register. Additionally, Bowden was handed a two-year community order, which restricts his access to computers and other digital devices, aiming to prevent further offenses.

Despite the severity of the charges, Bowden was not sentenced to imprisonment. Instead, the court opted for a community-based punishment, reflecting the judicial decision that he should be monitored and restricted but not incarcerated. The case remains a stark reminder of the ongoing issues surrounding child exploitation and the importance of law enforcement efforts to combat such heinous crimes in communities like Ince and across Wigan.