SHOCKING CRIME IN BEXHILL: MATTHEW WADESON SENTENCED FOR CHILD SEXUAL IMAGE OFFENCES AND THEFT

In a case that has sent shockwaves through the community of Bexhill, a man named Matthew Wadeson has been formally sentenced to prison after admitting to a series of serious offences involving indecent images of children and theft. The proceedings took place at Brighton Crown Court on February 6, where Wadeson, aged 35 and residing on St. Leonards Road in Bexhill, faced the court to answer for his actions.

Wadeson had previously pleaded guilty during a hearing held in December, and his sentencing on this day resulted in a prison term of two years and eight months. The court also mandated that upon his release, he must register as a sex offender for an indefinite period, reflecting the gravity of his crimes. Additionally, a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) was imposed, severely restricting his access to computers and children, aiming to prevent any further offences.

As part of the court's ruling, Wadeson’s computer equipment was ordered to be destroyed, along with all the indecent images he possessed. The offences for which he was convicted encompass a range of criminal activities involving children’s images. Specifically, 23 of the charges pertain to the creation of indecent photographs of minors, while two charges relate to the distribution of such images. Further, he was found guilty of possessing prohibited photographs of children on two separate counts, and a single charge involved the theft of children’s underwear.

The nature of the offences indicates that Wadeson engaged in both the production and dissemination of indecent images, including movies and still photographs, at various levels of severity. His activities were uncovered through a meticulous, intelligence-led investigation conducted by Sussex Police’s Paedophile Online Investigation Team, which specializes in tackling online child exploitation.

Detective Constable Mel Oakley provided insight into the case, describing Wadeson as a “predatory paedophile” whose actions extended beyond online viewing. She explained, “Wadeson is a predatory paedophile who not only perpetuated the abuse of children by viewing indecent images of children online, which accounts for most of the offences, but then escalated his behaviour in order to satisfy his sexual attraction to children personally.”

She further detailed how Wadeson betrayed the trust of long-standing family friends, grooming children and gaining their confidence to take indecent photographs without their understanding. These images were then shared and distributed among others, creating a cycle of exploitation aimed at obtaining more indecent images of children.

Detective Oakley also revealed that Wadeson had stolen children’s clothing from another family and had taken footage of children using his mobile phone. She expressed her concern that Wadeson’s behaviour indicated he was in the preparatory stages of committing physical contact offences against children, highlighting the potential danger he posed to the community of Bexhill.