SHEERING MAN DAVID HEATH ESCAPES JAIL AFTER DOWNLOAD OF EXTREME ANIMAL PORN IN CHELMSFORD
| Red Rose Database
Sheering Child Sexual Abuser
In April 2017, a serious criminal case unfolded involving David Heath, a supermarket manager from Sheering, who was found in possession of highly disturbing and illegal material. Heath, aged 35, was employed at the Tesco superstore located on Princes Road in Chelmsford. His arrest and subsequent court proceedings revealed a disturbing pattern of online activity linked to extreme pornography involving animals.
Heath's criminal conduct came to light after police investigations into his online interactions. He had been exchanging messages with a known sex offender via Grindr, a popular gay dating app. Unbeknownst to Heath, law enforcement officers had been monitoring the other user, who was a registered sex offender. The police action culminated in a raid on Heath's residence in Sawbridgeworth on August 10 of the previous year.
During the raid, authorities seized two Samsung mobile phones and a Bell laptop for forensic analysis. While initial suspicions included the possibility of child abuse images, the investigation revealed a different, yet equally disturbing, set of illegal materials. Officers discovered a staggering 9,243 images and 29 videos depicting extreme acts of animal sexual abuse, including bestiality involving dogs and horses. Importantly, no child abuse images were found on Heath's devices.
Heath admitted that he had been 'playing along' with online paedophiles with the intent of meeting them for sexual encounters. He explained that his online activity involved chatting with individuals interested in such acts, but he insisted he was not interested in children. During police interviews, Heath also confessed to searching for 'animal sex' on the internet and watching bestial pornography approximately once a week. He clarified that his preference was for animal on human sexual acts, not animal on animal.
Heath acknowledged that he had downloaded between five and ten items of extreme pornography, but he admitted to viewing a much larger quantity. Prosecutor Malachy Pakenham described this as the largest amount of indecent extreme pornography he had ever prosecuted. The case was deemed serious enough to be sent to the Crown Court for sentencing.
At Westminster Magistrates' Court, Heath faced charges related to possessing extreme pornography. He pleaded guilty to the charges, including possession of images depicting sexual acts with animals. The court heard that Heath had previously been diagnosed with HIV in 2011. Police had also seized his devices for further examination.
During the hearing, Magistrate Senha Kooros emphasized the gravity of the offences. She stated, 'This offence has crossed the custody threshold due to the gravity of the offences, the quantity of images found, and the prolonged period of viewing.' Ultimately, Heath was sentenced to six months in prison, but the sentence was suspended for 12 months, considering his early guilty plea, full admissions, and character references.
Heath, who resides at Lawrence Moorings in Sheering, was also ordered to complete a 30-day rehabilitation activity requirement, perform 180 hours of unpaid work, and pay costs of £85 along with a victim surcharge of £115. The court's decision reflected the serious nature of his crimes, but also took into account his cooperation and early plea, which prevented a custodial sentence from being immediate.
This case highlights the disturbing extent of illegal online activity related to animal abuse and the importance of law enforcement efforts to combat such offences. Heath's actions, though not involving child abuse images, still represent a grave violation of legal and moral boundaries, prompting ongoing discussions about online safety and the need for vigilant monitoring of such criminal behaviors.
Heath's criminal conduct came to light after police investigations into his online interactions. He had been exchanging messages with a known sex offender via Grindr, a popular gay dating app. Unbeknownst to Heath, law enforcement officers had been monitoring the other user, who was a registered sex offender. The police action culminated in a raid on Heath's residence in Sawbridgeworth on August 10 of the previous year.
During the raid, authorities seized two Samsung mobile phones and a Bell laptop for forensic analysis. While initial suspicions included the possibility of child abuse images, the investigation revealed a different, yet equally disturbing, set of illegal materials. Officers discovered a staggering 9,243 images and 29 videos depicting extreme acts of animal sexual abuse, including bestiality involving dogs and horses. Importantly, no child abuse images were found on Heath's devices.
Heath admitted that he had been 'playing along' with online paedophiles with the intent of meeting them for sexual encounters. He explained that his online activity involved chatting with individuals interested in such acts, but he insisted he was not interested in children. During police interviews, Heath also confessed to searching for 'animal sex' on the internet and watching bestial pornography approximately once a week. He clarified that his preference was for animal on human sexual acts, not animal on animal.
Heath acknowledged that he had downloaded between five and ten items of extreme pornography, but he admitted to viewing a much larger quantity. Prosecutor Malachy Pakenham described this as the largest amount of indecent extreme pornography he had ever prosecuted. The case was deemed serious enough to be sent to the Crown Court for sentencing.
At Westminster Magistrates' Court, Heath faced charges related to possessing extreme pornography. He pleaded guilty to the charges, including possession of images depicting sexual acts with animals. The court heard that Heath had previously been diagnosed with HIV in 2011. Police had also seized his devices for further examination.
During the hearing, Magistrate Senha Kooros emphasized the gravity of the offences. She stated, 'This offence has crossed the custody threshold due to the gravity of the offences, the quantity of images found, and the prolonged period of viewing.' Ultimately, Heath was sentenced to six months in prison, but the sentence was suspended for 12 months, considering his early guilty plea, full admissions, and character references.
Heath, who resides at Lawrence Moorings in Sheering, was also ordered to complete a 30-day rehabilitation activity requirement, perform 180 hours of unpaid work, and pay costs of £85 along with a victim surcharge of £115. The court's decision reflected the serious nature of his crimes, but also took into account his cooperation and early plea, which prevented a custodial sentence from being immediate.
This case highlights the disturbing extent of illegal online activity related to animal abuse and the importance of law enforcement efforts to combat such offences. Heath's actions, though not involving child abuse images, still represent a grave violation of legal and moral boundaries, prompting ongoing discussions about online safety and the need for vigilant monitoring of such criminal behaviors.