KELLY MPINGA FROM LITTLE LEVER SENT CHILD SEX IMAGES IN BOLD CRIME AT BOLTON CROWN COURT

In April 2021, a disturbing case unfolded involving Kelly Mpinga, a 40-year-old man residing on Second Avenue in Little Lever, who found himself at the center of a serious criminal investigation related to child exploitation.

According to court proceedings, Mpinga claimed that the indecent images and videos involving a young child had been sent to him by his barber during a recent visit to the barber's shop. He insisted that he had no sexual interest in the material and was merely sharing it with others as a warning, although this explanation was met with skepticism by authorities.

The case came to light after a woman in London contacted police in 2018, reporting that she had received an indecent image on her phone. An investigation into the matter led officers to scrutinize Mpinga's phone, which revealed that he was the sender of the illicit content. This discovery prompted a raid on his residence, where police seized multiple electronic devices for further examination.

During the search, officers found a white iPhone containing a Category A indecent image, which is classified as among the most severe and obscene types of child abuse material. Additionally, they uncovered a 54-second video depicting a child estimated to be between four and six years old. The video was confirmed to have been sent to two different individuals, further implicating Mpinga in the distribution of such harmful content.

In police interviews, Mpinga, who had no prior criminal record, maintained that he was unaware of the images' origin and suggested that the barber might have used his phone without his knowledge. Despite his claims, the evidence pointed to his active involvement in sharing the material.

Legal proceedings at Bolton Crown Court saw prosecutor Kate Hammond outline the gravity of the offenses. Mpinga pleaded guilty to charges of making an indecent image of a child and two counts of distributing such images. His defense attorney, Martin Pizzey, highlighted that Mpinga had previously worked at Manchester Airport but had been made redundant due to the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Judge Katherine Pierpoint delivered the sentence, emphasizing the seriousness of Mpinga's actions. She stated, “Instead of reporting this picture or simply deleting it, you chose to send it to two other people — that is a serious offence. These are not victimless crimes. Those who share these images play a part, unwittingly or not, in the abuse of children that causes untold misery, suffering, damage, and harm to young children.”

She further noted that Mpinga had lied during his arrest and that, despite being in the UK for over 20 years and demonstrating intelligence and a strong work ethic, he had committed a grave offense.

As part of his sentence, Mpinga was given a two-year community order, which includes 30 days of rehabilitation activities. He is also required to complete 250 hours of unpaid work. Additionally, a five-year sexual harm prevention order was imposed, restricting his use of the internet to prevent further offenses related to child exploitation.