MATTHEW BATEMAN AND SHOCKING CHILD SEX ABUSE IMAGES IN KIDWELLY AND CARMARTHENSHIRE

A trusted IT worker at a school in Kidwelly has been exposed for downloading and sharing extremely disturbing images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children as young as two years old. The individual, Matthew Bateman, was involved in these illicit activities over a period spanning nearly ten years, raising serious concerns about the safety and oversight within the educational environment.

The criminal activities of Bateman only came to light after he attempted to meet what he believed was a 14-year-old girl for a casual drive and a meal at a local McDonald's. He had been communicating with a decoy account operated by a paedophile hunter group, which had set up the meeting in Drefach Park. When Bateman arrived at the designated location on February 23, he was confronted by members of the group, who had been monitoring his online interactions. The police were called to the scene, and Bateman was promptly arrested. During police interviews, he chose to remain silent, offering no comments.

Following his arrest, Bateman contacted Ysgol Gyfun y Strade in Llanelli, where he was employed in the IT department, and admitted to the headteacher that he had engaged in inappropriate conversations with an underage girl and had done something “stupid.” As a result, he no longer works at the school. Authorities then executed a search warrant at his residence in Crwbin, Kidwelly, where electronic devices were seized for examination.

The police investigation uncovered a horrifying collection of digital material. On his devices, they found a total of 299 images classified as Category A, which depict the most severe forms of sexual abuse. Additionally, there were 255 images in Category B and 417 in Category C. Some of these images and videos showed toddlers as young as two years old being sexually exploited. The material had been downloaded over nearly a decade, indicating a long-standing pattern of offending.

Further examination revealed that Bateman had shared a small number of these indecent images with others, across all three categories. Despite the severity of the material, the prosecution clarified that Bateman was not charged with any offences related to the communication with the decoy account operated by the paedophile hunters.

Matthew Bateman, aged 40, of Crwbin, Kidwelly, pleaded guilty to multiple charges of possessing and distributing indecent images of children in categories A, B, and C during his court appearance. He has no prior criminal record. His legal representative, Mat Murphy, highlighted the significant personal consequences of the conviction, including the loss of his job and the end of his relationship. Murphy also expressed concern that the court-ordered restrictions, particularly those affecting internet access, would severely hinder Bateman’s ability to find employment within the IT sector, where such skills are essential.

The judge, Geraint Walters, addressed Bateman directly, emphasizing the gravity of the crimes. He stated that the children depicted in the images and videos were real victims of sexual abuse, not actors, and expressed his dismay that someone in Bateman’s position—working closely with children and being a valued staff member—had such material in his possession. The judge also noted that Bateman claimed he did not derive sexual gratification from the images, a common assertion in such cases, but dismissed this as unconvincing given his attempt to meet a 14-year-old girl.

In sentencing, Bateman received a total of 14 months in prison, with an eight-month sentence for possession and a 14-month sentence for distribution, to run concurrently. Due to his guilty pleas, he will serve approximately half of this time in custody before being released on licence. He will also be registered as a sex offender for the next ten years and subject to a sexual harm prevention order for the same period, which aims to restrict his internet access and prevent further offending.