GRAEME ROUND FROM SHEPLEY INVOLVED IN CHILD ABUSE IMAGE SCANDAL IN HUDDERSFIELD

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Shepley and the surrounding areas, Graeme Round, a 34-year-old resident of Stocks Way in Shepley, has been implicated in the possession and distribution of indecent images of children. The investigation was initiated after authorities traced illegal online activity linked to a website that was compromised and used to advertise child abuse images for sale.

According to court proceedings, the police in Huddersfield responded to an alert from Gloucestershire Constabulary, which had uncovered a security breach involving a legitimate website. During the breach, a folder containing illicit images was attached to the website, which was actively advertising child abuse pictures for sale. Although the website was swiftly taken down, it was active for approximately 57 hours, during which around 3,000 IP addresses accessed the illicit content.

One of these IP addresses was eventually traced back to Graeme Round, leading to further investigation. On March 18 of the previous year, police officers visited his residence in Shepley and seized a computer tower for examination. The forensic analysis revealed a total of 116 images classified at the lowest level of severity, with four images at the highest level of concern, level 4.

During police interviews, Round admitted to a history of heavy drinking and acknowledged that he had previously viewed adult pornography. He explained that this behavior had, at times, led him to view extreme material, including images involving children, which would sometimes appear unexpectedly. Round claimed that he had not intentionally searched for such content and stated that he had ceased viewing these images approximately two years prior. He expressed remorse for his actions and the harm caused.

In court, Round pleaded guilty to six charges related to the making and possession of indecent images of children. The judge, Sally Cahill QC, sentenced him to a three-year community order, which includes supervision and participation in a high-level activity program aimed at addressing his behavior. Additionally, he was ordered to register as a sex offender for a period of five years, a measure intended to monitor and prevent future offending.

Judge Cahill emphasized the importance of understanding the devastating impact such images have on children, stating, “You need to understand the reason these images are taken and thereby children put through this dreadful trauma is because people like you look at them. If you did not, it would not be worthwhile for people to take these photographs.” Her comments underscored the seriousness of the offense and the need for rehabilitation and preventative measures to protect vulnerable victims.