PADIHAM SEX OFFENDER MATTHEW HINDLE CAUGHT WITH CHILD ABUSE IMAGES IN BUST

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Padiham, a 41-year-old man named Matthew Hindle was found to have downloaded and possessed a large collection of indecent images depicting child abuse. The incident came to light during a police raid on his residence on February 4, 2017, which uncovered a disturbing cache of illegal material stored on his computer devices.

According to court proceedings at Burnley Crown Court, authorities discovered hundreds of images and videos that involved the sexual exploitation of children as young as five years old. The evidence was particularly alarming, with the prosecution revealing that the collection included 188 images classified as Category A, representing the most severe form of child sexual abuse material. Additionally, there were 156 images categorized as Category B and a staggering 645 images in Category C, indicating a wide spectrum of illegal content.

During police interviews, Hindle admitted to having these images on his devices, making full and frank admissions to the authorities. Prosecutor Jack Troup emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating, “The defendant made full and frank admissions to the police during interview. He admitted to having those images at the scene.”

Hindle, who had no prior criminal record, pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children. His defense attorney, Daniel Fraser, described Hindle as a man who had led a lonely and isolated life. Fraser explained that Hindle had lost his well-paying job, earning approximately £36,000 annually, as a consequence of the legal proceedings.

In his defense, Fraser added, “In relation to Mr Hindle he presents as a guy who had led a lonely lifestyle. A lot of his friends have moved on, had relationships and had children. He hasn’t. He has somewhat become a recluse. He resorted to searching the internet for what he deemed normal pornography. He seems to have stumbled across the child pornography by accident. It was something that was mislabelled when he first came across it. He was subsequently more deliberate in his search for it.”

As part of his sentencing, Hindle, of Peel Street, Padiham, was handed a three-year community order. This order includes a requirement for him to attend a specialized sex offender rehabilitation program. Additionally, he is mandated to sign the sex offenders’ register for a period of five years and is subject to a four-year sexual harm prevention order, which aims to restrict his access to potentially harmful material and prevent further offenses.

Judge Nicholas Barker addressed the court, expressing his view on Hindle’s remorse. He stated, “I consider your remorse to be genuine. I consider when it is said by you to the probation officer that the presence of the police and subsequent discovery of this was something of a relief for you to be true. Because you knew what you were doing was deeply wrong. For a reason only you can answer you seem to have been unable to stop yourself from doing it.”