MICHAEL CLAY FROM MCCLUSKY BUSTED WITH CHILD ABUSE IMAGES DESPITE COURT ORDER IN GATESHEAD

In a disturbing case that highlights ongoing concerns about online child exploitation, Michael Clay, a resident of McClusky, was found to have violated a court-imposed order after police uncovered illicit images on his electronic devices. The incident took place in September of the previous year, when law enforcement officers conducted a routine review at Clay's residence in Gateshead.

Clay, aged 53, had previously been convicted in November 2018 of possessing indecent images of children. As part of his sentence, he received a suspended prison term and was placed under a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO). This order was intended to restrict his access to certain types of material and prevent further offenses. However, court proceedings revealed that Clay had only maintained compliance with the restrictions for a few months before reverting to illegal online activity.

During the police visit to his home, officers requested that Clay surrender all electronic devices for inspection. Among these devices was a Kindle e-reader, which, upon examination, contained highly disturbing content. Prosecutor Emma Dowling informed the court that the Kindle held one indecent video featuring a teenage girl, along with three images and five videos in total. The videos were classified as Category A, indicating the most severe level of illegal content, including material depicting penetrative sexual acts. One of these videos reportedly involved a girl believed to be as young as six years old.

Further investigation revealed that Clay had been actively deleting his internet browsing history, a violation of the restrictions set forth in his SHPO. Ms. Dowling suggested that the deletion of history was likely an attempt to conceal his activities, implying that he had entered specific keywords into search engines to locate such material.

When questioned, Clay admitted to viewing the images for his own sexual gratification. He was subsequently arrested and charged with possession of indecent images of children and breaching the terms of his Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

During the court hearing at Newcastle Crown Court, Judge Recorder Nicholas Lumley QC addressed Clay directly. He noted that Clay’s stepdaughter had previously expressed that her mother and he believed he could be trusted not to access such material. However, the judge pointed out that Clay had been actively viewing illegal content for approximately nine months, despite the restrictions. The judge acknowledged that Clay had initially attempted to comply with the SHPO but had ultimately resumed seeking out such material after a few months.

In sentencing, Judge Lumley sentenced Clay to a total of two years and two months in prison, emphasizing the seriousness of his violations and the danger posed by his actions. The case underscores the ongoing challenges faced by law enforcement in combating online child exploitation and the importance of strict enforcement of court orders designed to protect vulnerable victims.