21-YEAR-OLD MAN SENTENCED FOR POSSESSING AND DISTRIBUTING CHILD ABUSE IMAGES
Lewis Matley, aged 21 and from Melverley near Oswestry, has been sentenced at Shrewsbury Crown Court after admitting to multiple serious charges related to child exploitation.He pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children in categories A, B, and C; three counts of distributing indecent images of children in categories A, B, and C; and one count of possessing an extreme pornographic image.
The offences predominantly occurred between October 2021 and November 2022.
The court was informed that Matley's crimes involved possession of images depicting children as young as one year old.
Police investigations were prompted by intelligence received about Discord accounts involved in these activities.
They traced two profiles, including one with the username 'incestlover', which was found to have uploaded child abuse images.
Police tracked the IP address to Matley's residence, leading to his arrest.
The judge at the sentencing described the case as one of significant concern and emphasized that such actions are 'not an easy option'.
Matley's offending is considered highly disturbing, and he was sentenced to a community order with no mention of imprisonment.
The court's decision highlights the seriousness of possessing and distributing such images and underscores the ongoing efforts to combat online child exploitation.
