LEE MATTHEWS CONVICTED IN HAILSHAM USING NEW TECH FOR CHILD SEX OFFENCES

In a significant breakthrough for law enforcement, Lee Matthews, a 32-year-old resident of Howard Close in Hailsham, has been sentenced to a nine-year prison term after advanced technological methods played a crucial role in establishing his guilt in a series of child sex offences.

Judge David Rennie delivered the sentence at Hove Crown Court on Tuesday, 8 July. Matthews had previously appeared before the same court in April and June, where he pleaded guilty to a total of 22 charges related to his misconduct.

The charges against Matthews were brought forward by the Crown Prosecution Service following an in-depth investigation led by Sussex Police’s Paedophile Online Investigation Team (POLIT). The investigation was notably aided by innovative scientific work conducted by Forensic Pathways Ltd, which involved analysis of Matthews’ mobile phone. This new patented forensic technique was instrumental in confirming Matthews’ involvement in some of the most serious allegations.

Among the charges, eleven pertained to offences involving a young girl known to Matthews. These included sexual assault on a child, engaging in sexual activity with a child, causing a child to participate in sexual acts, and the possession and distribution of indecent images of a child. Specifically, Matthews was found guilty of sexual assault, sexual activity, and the distribution of indecent images, which resulted in an overall prison sentence of eight years for these offences.

In addition, Matthews faced eleven other charges related to internet-sourced material. These included the distribution of indecent images obtained from the internet, creating indecent images by downloading such material, and possession of extreme pornography. These offences carried a one-year sentence, which is to run consecutively after the initial eight-year term, making the total imprisonment period nine years.

Furthermore, three other charges—one of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child and two of sexual activity with a child—were ordered to remain on the court record, though no additional sentence was imposed for these.

As part of his sentence, Matthews was ordered to register as a sex offender for life and was served with a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO), imposing restrictions aimed at preventing further offences.

Detective Constable Chris Smith of POLIT commented on the case, stating, “At the beginning of April last year, we received urgent intelligence indicating that Matthews was not only exchanging indecent images of children online but was also planning to sexually abuse a young girl imminently. We acted swiftly, applying for a court warrant, which led to a search of his residence. During the search, we seized his laptop and two mobile phones, and he was arrested.”

Smith further explained that Matthews initially did not admit to any wrongdoing during interviews but later pleaded guilty to 20 of the charges in court in April. The remaining two charges—one involving the creation of indecent video content on his mobile phone and another related to sexual activity with a child—were initially denied by Matthews. However, the forensic analysis provided by Forensic Pathways Ltd proved decisive.

Using their innovative scientific technique, the forensic team demonstrated that the digital images found on Matthews’ devices were created directly on those devices, rather than being transferred or copied onto them. This method, described as a form of ‘digital DNA,’ was crucial in establishing the origin of the images.

Matthews had denied that the video showing sexual activity with a child was shot on his phone. The forensic evidence conclusively proved otherwise, leading Matthews to change his plea at the last minute, thereby avoiding the need for the victim to testify in court. Smith highlighted that this case marks the first-ever conviction obtained using this groundbreaking technology, which offers law enforcement a powerful new tool in digital investigations.

He also paid tribute to the young victim, acknowledging her courage in supporting the prosecution and her willingness to give evidence if required. All offences are believed to have been committed within the past five years, and there is no evidence suggesting any other children have been harmed by Matthews.