DERBY MAN KEVIN SHUTLER SENTENCED FOR DOWNLOAD OF 20,000 CHILD PORN IMAGES

In a case that has shocked the community of Derby, Kevin Shutler, a 53-year-old resident of Stowmarket Drive, was sentenced to prison after being found guilty of possessing and creating a vast collection of indecent images of children. The investigation was initiated after an internet watchdog, the Internet Watch Foundation, provided police with a list of subscribers to a website that featured young girl models aged 13 and 14, which ultimately led to Shutler's identification and arrest.

Authorities discovered that Shutler had downloaded more than 20,000 images and videos depicting children engaged in sexual poses or activities. The material was categorized into various levels of severity, with the majority being in Category One, indicating the least graphic content, primarily images of children in erotic poses. However, the police also found 269 images and 14 videos classified as Category Two, along with 17 images in Category Three and four in Category Four. Notably, there were no images classified as Category Five, which represents the most serious and explicit material.

Shutler faced multiple charges, including 16 counts of making indecent photographs of children and eight counts of possessing such images. These offenses spanned from December 2000 to August 2007. During the hearing at Derby Crown Court, he pleaded guilty to all charges. The court was told that police executed a search warrant at his home on August 9, 2007, uncovering the illegal material stored across various computer hard drives and floppy disks.

In mitigation, Clive Stockwell, representing Shutler, highlighted that his client had no prior criminal record and was actively seeking help for his issues. He explained that Shutler had endured bullying during his childhood, which contributed to his mental health struggles. Additionally, Mr. Stockwell noted that Shutler suffered from asthma and skin conditions, and that similar bullying persisted during his service in the Royal Air Force and later in his employment.

Furthermore, Mr. Stockwell emphasized that Shutler had fully cooperated with police, making full admissions and being referred to the organization Stop It Now, which works to prevent child sexual abuse and offers a confidential helpline. It was also mentioned that Shutler had been undergoing counseling to address his behavior.

Judge Andrew Hamilton sentenced Shutler to six months in prison. He also ordered that Shutler must sign the sex offenders' register for seven years and comply with a sexual offenders' prevention order. This order prohibits him from working with children and owning any software capable of deleting or encrypting internet history, aiming to prevent further offenses and protect the community from potential harm.