MICHAEL NASH FROM SUTTON SENTENCED FOR CHILD ABUSE IMAGES AND EXTREME PORNOGRAPHY IN LUTON

In August 2019, a man from Sutton named Michael Nash was handed a suspended prison sentence after being found guilty of possessing and viewing highly disturbing and illegal online content. Nash, aged 64 and residing on High Street in Sutton, appeared before Luton Crown Court to face sentencing following his guilty plea to multiple serious charges related to child exploitation and extreme pornography.

Authorities had initiated an investigation into Nash after receiving intelligence suggesting that his IP address was being used to access a chatroom where illicit images of child abuse were being shared. On August 18, 2016, police executed a raid on Nash’s residence, during which they seized four electronic devices. Subsequent analysis of these devices uncovered a disturbing collection of illegal images and videos.

During police interviews, Nash admitted his guilt and revealed that he had an interest in young girls aged 12 and above. The images found on his devices included nine classified as Category A, which denotes the most severe level of child abuse imagery, seven in Category B, and 42 in Category C. These images depicted children between the ages of eight and 16. The investigation also uncovered a significant number of extreme pornography files, including 208 images and 55 videos. These videos involved both animals and humans, with some depicting sexual torture involving adults.

Prosecutor Douglas Page detailed the nature of the material, emphasizing the severity of the offenses. He explained that the images involved acts of sexual violence and cruelty, with some videos showing acts of torture. Nash-Hunt’s actions contributed to the ongoing trade in such illegal content, which perpetuates the cycle of abuse and exploitation.

In his defense, Nash-Hunt acknowledged his guilt from the outset but did not seek professional help to address his behavior. The court heard that he had not engaged with any support services to attempt rehabilitation.

Judge Steven Evans sentenced Nash-Hunt to 16 months in prison, suspended for two years. Additionally, he was ordered to participate in an intensive 27-session rehabilitation program aimed at addressing his offending behavior. The judge expressed strong disapproval of Nash-Hunt’s actions, stating, “You deserve to go to prison immediately and for a very long time. Your behavior has contributed to the ongoing trade in images of young children being sexually abused by adults. You have added to that trade by viewing these images.”

Judge Evans further emphasized the importance of stopping offenders like Nash-Hunt from reoffending, noting that the specialized programs run by the probation service are both challenging and necessary. As part of the court’s order, Nash-Hunt was also subjected to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for ten years and was ordered to pay costs amounting to £425.