MATHEW HAWES FROM SALTASH ESCAPES PRISON AFTER DISTURBING CHILD SEX OFFENCES

In a case that has shocked the community of Saltash, 34-year-old Mathew Hawes, an autistic man, has been found guilty of possessing and creating highly disturbing indecent images involving children as young as eight years old. Despite the severity of the charges, Hawes was ultimately sentenced to a suspended prison term, sparking debate over the handling of such cases.

Hawes was apprehended at his residence on Lewis Mews in Saltash after authorities were alerted by a social media platform. The platform had flagged an attempt by Hawes to upload an indecent video featuring children, which was traced back to his IP address and physical location. This led to a warrant being issued for his arrest. During a search of his property, police recovered two mobile phones, which contained a significant number of illicit images. Investigators discovered dozens of indecent images of children, many of which had been created by Hawes himself, indicating a pattern of offending behavior.

Following his arrest, Hawes was taken in for police interviews, during which he faced multiple charges. These included three counts of possession of indecent images of children, three counts of making such images, and a further charge related to possessing extreme pornographic material depicting necrozoophilia—an act involving sexual activity with deceased animals. Additionally, Hawes faced an eighth charge of voyeurism, which involved spying on a teenage girl over a period stretching from June 2020 to February 2022.

During the sentencing hearing, His Honour Judge Simon Carr acknowledged Hawes' autism and the difficulties he had faced. However, the judge emphasized that autism could not be used as an excuse for seeking out and viewing such heinous material. “Autism is not a reason for seeking out images of children as young as eight being gang-raped,” the judge stated. He also condemned Hawes' voyeuristic behavior, noting that the images were taken of a child who was not responsible for her situation. “She was a child. You did it for your own sexual gratification,” Judge Carr added.

While recognizing that the offenses occurred two years prior and that there was no evidence of reoffending since, the judge pointed out that Hawes had begun to address his behavior. As a result, Hawes was sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended for two years. The court also imposed a mental health treatment requirement and a 50-day rehabilitation program. Furthermore, a sexual harm prevention order was issued for five years, and Hawes was placed on the sex offender register, ensuring ongoing monitoring of his activities.