KEITH WILSON FROM BARMOUTH ESCAPES JAIL AFTER CHILD INDECENT IMAGES SCANDAL IN NORTH WALES

A pensioner from Chester, Keith Wilson, has narrowly avoided imprisonment after admitting to the possession and creation of indecent images of children over a span of several years in North Wales. The 66-year-old, who resides on Long Lane in Waverton, appeared before Caernarfon Crown Court to face sentencing for his crimes. Wilson pleaded guilty to three separate offences involving indecent images of minors, which were classified into categories A, B, and C. These offences took place in Barmouth between July 2014 and May 2023, highlighting a disturbing pattern of offending over nearly a decade.

Prosecutor Amy Edwards informed the court that law enforcement authorities were alerted in 2022 after an email was received concerning the upload of such illicit images. The police investigation led to the seizure of devices belonging to Wilson, which revealed a disturbing collection of digital files. Among these were 49 videos categorized as Category A, depicting children aged between seven and 14 years old, along with 11 videos classified as Category B and a single image falling into Category C. The content of these files clearly indicated a sexual interest in minors, raising serious concerns about Wilson’s motives and actions.

During police interviews, Wilson denied any sexual interest in children, claiming that he had obtained the images many years prior and had not deleted them. Despite his denial, the evidence found on his devices painted a different picture, leading to his guilty plea.

Judge Paul Lewis sentenced Wilson to nine months in prison, but the sentence was suspended for two years, meaning he would not serve time unless he committed another offence within that period. As part of his sentence, Wilson was ordered to complete 25 days of rehabilitation, pay a victim surcharge, and register as a sex offender for ten years. Furthermore, he was placed under a sexual harm prevention order for the same duration, restricting his activities and monitoring his behavior to prevent further offending. The case underscores the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to combat the distribution and possession of child exploitation material, especially in regions like Barmouth and across North Wales.