KEVIN ISHAM FROM HORNCASTLE SENTENCED FOR CHILD SEX OFFENCES AND ONLINE GROOMING

In August 2018, Kevin Isham from Horncastle was handed additional weeks in prison after a court found him guilty of wasting the time of top judges with a hopeless appeal against his previous conviction. The case against Isham, a 53-year-old man residing in Sellwood Gardens, Horncastle, is part of a long history of criminal behavior related to child exploitation and possession of indecent images.

Back in July, Isham was convicted on multiple counts of serious sexual offences. The charges included three counts of possessing indecent images of children, one count of possessing indecent images, one count of possessing extreme pornography, one count of breaching an existing Sexual Offences Prevention Order, and one count of attempting to groom a child under the age of 16. The court heard that Isham had engaged in a disturbing pattern of online behavior, which culminated in his arrest and subsequent conviction.

Recorder Gareth Evans QC, presiding over the case, described Isham as a “sly, devious, calculated, almost intelligent paedophile,” highlighting the manipulative and calculated nature of his actions. The investigation was triggered when authorities discovered that an indecent photograph had been uploaded to a Facebook account linked to Isham on June 26, 2016. This discovery prompted a detailed investigation into his digital activities.

During the investigation, law enforcement officers seized and examined Isham’s mobile phone. The analysis revealed a disturbing collection of indecent images of children, extreme pornography, and a chat log on WhatsApp between Isham and a girl under 16. In these messages, Isham directed sexual content and attempted to groom the young girl, demonstrating a clear pattern of predatory behavior. It was also revealed that Isham was subject to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order, which restricted his internet use to public libraries, as a safeguard following previous convictions.

His criminal history is extensive. In 2007, Isham was convicted for possessing child sexual abuse images. Later, in October 2009, he received a nine-month suspended sentence for breaching a previous order. His violations of the court’s restrictions continued, leading to an eight-month prison sentence after a second breach. These repeated offences underscored the persistent danger he posed to children.

Detective Sergeant Victoria Midgley, from the Paedophile Online Investigation Team, expressed her concerns about Isham’s dangerous behavior. She stated, “Mr Isham is a dangerous paedophile who has continually ignored all the deterrents that have been placed to try and stop him committing further sexual offences. These continued offences show that he is a dangerous individual, who needed to be taken away for the protection of children who could have become future victims to his further offences.”

Following his recent conviction, Isham was sentenced to serve a minimum of two and a half years in prison. Additionally, he was informed that upon release, he would be on licence for four years and subject to a new Sexual Offences Prevention Order, further restricting his activities and monitoring his behavior to prevent future offences.