DAVID HINTON OF COLWICK SENTENCED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY OFFENSES IN NOTTINGHAM

In March 2009, a disturbing case emerged involving David Hinton, a 61-year-old man from Colwick, who was found to possess a significant collection of child pornography. The case gained public attention after Hinton's own daughter, Sarah Hinton, took the courageous step of reporting her father to the police, an act that was later recognized and commended by a judge for its bravery and moral integrity.

Sarah Hinton visited Carlton Police Station and informed officers about her discovery of explicit material on her father’s computers. Her decision to come forward was pivotal in initiating the investigation. Later that same day, Hinton’s wife also provided a statement to the authorities, further corroborating the concerns raised by Sarah.

Following these reports, police executed a search at Hinton’s residence located in Daleside Gardens, Colwick. During the search, Hinton pointed to a computer and admitted, “There’s some porn on that,” acknowledging the presence of inappropriate material. Investigators also found that Hinton had downloaded images onto a laptop used by his daughter, indicating the extent of his activities. Additionally, Hinton directed officers to seven CDs containing more images, which he had concealed in one of his coat pockets.

Upon examination, authorities discovered that Hinton had amassed approximately 3,500 images of children across two computers and multiple discs. The content was particularly disturbing, with about 20% classified as the most severe categories of child pornography, some of which depicted acts of sadism. These images represented a grave violation of children’s rights and were a clear indication of abuse committed for the gratification of offenders like Hinton.

Hinton pleaded guilty to 15 charges related to downloading indecent images of children and one charge of possessing such images. His guilty plea was a significant development in the case, leading to his sentencing at Nottingham Crown Court. Judge Jeremy Lea sentenced Hinton to 15 months in prison, emphasizing the importance of the actions taken by his daughter and wife in bringing the matter to light. The judge stated, “It is very much to the credit of your daughter and your wife that they acted in such a way to begin this process. A lot of people would feel that out of loyalty – misplaced loyalty – they could not do anything about it. They are to be commended for the actions they took. They clearly had regard for the abuse that was happening to children in the images.”

In his remarks, Judge Lea acknowledged the good character references submitted on Hinton’s behalf, noting that he had lived a life free of crime until this incident. “You are nearly 62 and you have lived a life free of crime,” he said. “You are a married man and you have brought up a family and children. I can understand why people have written to the court saying positive things.” However, the judge also highlighted the darker side of Hinton’s actions, stating, “But there’s another side to you that those people don’t know about. Your daughter came to know about it and your wife. I suspect they were shocked and horrified by what they found. Each one of those images is an image of child abuse. That means some child has been put through that abuse for the gratification of people such as you.”

Prosecutor Andrew Easteal explained that the investigation began in September 2007 when Sarah Hinton reported her father’s activities. “This defendant’s daughter attended Carlton Police Station to tell officers she had found child porn on her father’s computer. Later that day, both her and her mother made statements to the police,” he said.

Hinton’s actions not only led to criminal charges but also resulted in legal restrictions. The court ordered him to register as a sex offender for ten years following his release from prison. Additionally, a sexual offences prevention order was imposed, which will remain in effect until a judge determines it can be lifted, further restricting Hinton’s activities and access to certain environments to prevent any future offenses.