MATTHEW HUNT FROM CRADLEY HEATH SENTENCED FOR CHILD ABUSE IMAGE COLLECTION IN WOLVERHAMPTON

In July 2013, Matthew Hunt, a resident of Cradley Heath, was sentenced to serve two years in prison at Wolverhampton Crown Court after being found guilty of possessing an extensive collection of child abuse images. The court heard that Hunt had accumulated over 120,000 indecent photographs and videos depicting young children, a collection that reflected a disturbing addiction to such material.

Judge John Warner delivered the sentence, describing Hunt's actions as 'dreadful and appalling behaviour towards young children.' The judge expressed his hope that Hunt would feel genuine shame for his conduct. He further explained that Hunt's obsession had escalated over time, requiring him to seek out increasingly explicit content to satisfy his compulsive urges.

Prosecutor Mr. John Evans detailed that Hunt, aged 28, operated a sharing system that allowed him to access and distribute these heinous images among like-minded individuals. This system also enabled others to view Hunt's own collection of illicit material. When police officers arrived at Hunt's residence on Meadow Walk following intelligence reports, Hunt reportedly welcomed their visit, stating, 'You will find what you are looking for.'

During police interviews, Hunt admitted to downloading hundreds of thousands of images, with a particular focus on children aged between six and twelve years old. He described his viewing habits as a form of escape, revealing that he fantasized about the children in the images and films. Hunt also confessed that he had contemplated acting out some of the scenarios depicted but was too frightened to do so.

Law enforcement officials confirmed that the collection contained over 120,000 images and videos, with the possibility of many more. These materials were classified across various levels of severity, with some categorized as the most serious, level five.

Defence lawyer Mr. Gurdeep Garcha acknowledged that Hunt recognized the depravity of his actions, describing the images as 'disgusting' and emphasizing the profound suffering inflicted upon the children involved. He explained that Hunt's social isolation contributed to his reliance on these images as a form of refuge and sexual outlet. Mr. Garcha also noted that Hunt was downloading more material than he could possibly view, and that the police arrival brought a sense of relief to him.

Hunt pleaded guilty to 10 charges of making indecent images of children and 10 charges of distributing such images. As part of his sentence, he was ordered to register as a sex offender for ten years and was placed under a lifelong Sexual Offenders Protection Order, reflecting the seriousness of his crimes and the ongoing risk he poses.