KEVIN SHEPPARD FROM KETTERING INVOLVED IN CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE MATERIAL CASE IN NORTHAMPTONSHIRE

In a disturbing case that has shocked the local community, Kevin Sheppard, a 26-year-old man from Kettering, has been linked to the purchase and possession of illegal child sexual abuse material. The incident dates back to between June and September 2018, during which Sheppard used Amazon vouchers to acquire a catalogue of heinous content involving minors.

Sheppard, who was employed as a teaching assistant at Huxlow Science College in Northamptonshire, engaged in the purchase of this illicit material through an online seller. He sent the seller a total of eight Amazon vouchers, amounting to £365, specifically requesting a video depicting a 15-year-old girl. This request is part of a broader investigation by the National Crime Agency (NCA), which is also examining the seller for other related offences.

It is important to note that none of Sheppard’s criminal activities were directly connected to his employment at the college. He resigned from his position the day after he was arrested by NCA officers in June 2019. The arrest took place at his residence on Broadway in Kettering, Northants, where authorities seized his electronic devices, including an iPhone and a laptop.

Further examination of these devices revealed the extent of his involvement in the possession of illegal content. His iPhone contained an app with 46 images classified as Category A, indicating the most severe level of child abuse material. Additionally, there were 19 images in Category B and 35 in Category C. His laptop held 17 videos categorized as Category B and 10 images in Category C, all related to child sexual abuse.

During police interviews, Sheppard admitted to being sexually attracted to young girls and acknowledged downloading and viewing the abusive material. His confession underscores the severity of his actions and the danger posed by such offenders.

On the day of his court appearance at Northampton Magistrates’ Court, Sheppard pleaded guilty to multiple charges. These included three counts of making indecent images of children (IIOC) spanning from September 2014 to July 2019, and one count of encouraging the distribution of such images in July 2018. His sentencing is scheduled for 25 August at Northampton Crown Court, where the full extent of his crimes will be formally addressed and appropriate penalties determined.