JAMES CONQUEST FROM MATLOCK SENTENCED FOR VILE CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE IMAGES IN DERBYSHIRE

In a case that has shocked the community of Matlock and the wider Derbyshire area, James Conquest, aged 33, has been sentenced to nearly four years in prison for possessing and distributing a vast collection of child sexual abuse images and videos. The court heard that Conquest was a deeply entrenched offender, with police uncovering over 6,000 illicit images and videos linked to him, many of which were classified as the most serious Category A material.

Judge Jason MacAdam, presiding over the case, made it clear that there was minimal mitigation for Conquest’s actions, emphasizing the severity of his crimes. The judge stated, “When one looks at, quite frankly, the evil you’ve done, there is little mitigation.” The court was informed that Conquest’s residence in Matlock was subjected to three police raids between December 2019 and March 2022, all of which uncovered further evidence of his offending.

During the initial raid in 2019, authorities discovered 838 images, including 148 videos, all classified as the most serious Category A. Subsequent searches in September 2021 and March 2022 revealed additional indecent images, with police also finding evidence that Conquest had been actively sharing these images via the chat application Randochat. Prosecutor Anthony Cheung detailed that on March 3, police seized Conquest’s phone, which contained images across categories A, B, and C.

In interviews, Conquest claimed he had no sexual interest in children, asserting that the images had been sent to him by others and that he had no desire to view or download them. However, he also denied having viewed or downloaded any images involving children aged between three and six years old, despite the overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

The court was told that Conquest, described as a “hardened paedophile,” attempted to shift blame onto others, claiming he had engaged with other offenders online solely to steer them away from offending. Judge MacAdam was unimpressed with these claims, stating, “The probation service has found you pose a high risk of harm to children.”

The judge detailed the extent of Conquest’s offending, including the possession of 148 Category A videos depicting children in sexual acts, as well as extreme pornographic images involving animals. Conquest’s defense lawyer, Benn Robinson, argued that his client’s offending was linked to personal issues, including losing contact with his five-year-old child and caring for his elderly mother in isolation.

Despite these mitigating factors, the court sentenced Conquest to 45 months in prison. Additionally, he was placed under a lifelong sexual harm prevention order to prevent any future offending. Judge MacAdam emphasized that the nature of Conquest’s crimes demonstrated a high risk of progression to contact offenses, which involve direct contact with children, a progression that the court was determined to prevent.

Conquest’s actions have been widely condemned, with authorities highlighting the danger posed by individuals who access such vile material. The case underscores the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to combat online child exploitation and protect vulnerable victims from further harm.