NATHAN BALE'S SHOCKING CRIME IN BUDE: EX-CORNWALL COUNCILLOR'S DESCENT INTO DARKNESS AND LEGAL CONSEQUENCES

In December 2011, a disturbing case emerged involving Nathan Bale, a former Cornwall councillor representing the Bude and Stratton North area, who faced serious allegations related to child pornography. Bale, aged 31 and residing at Penfound Gardens in Bude, was brought before Bodmin Magistrates' Court to answer charges stemming from his online activities over an extended period.

During the court proceedings, it was revealed that Bale had been viewing indecent images of children on the internet for approximately eight years. The court was informed that he had admitted to ten separate offences, which involved the creation and possession of a total of 548 indecent images, some of which were classified at a higher level of severity. The investigation uncovered that these images were uploaded to a website called buildarecipe.co.uk, which had experienced a surge in traffic on March 6, 2010, due to the upload of 2,500 illicit images by unknown individuals. Bale was identified as one of the viewers of these images.

Authorities executed a warrant at Bale’s residence on June 7 of that year, seizing two computer towers. Forensic analysis revealed that Bale had not only viewed but also searched for child pornography online, with efforts made to delete or hide his internet history. Despite most images being of low seriousness, four were classified in a more serious category. It was also noted that Bale had attempted to 'clean' his computer history, indicating an awareness of the illicit nature of his activities.

His solicitor, Chris Mitchell, explained that Bale’s initial curiosity had morphed into a fixation, which he described as a 'morbid curiosity' that he could not resist. Bale admitted that he had acted out of this curiosity and acknowledged the profound impact his actions had on his life. Speaking publicly after his conviction, Bale expressed deep remorse and shame, revealing that he had contemplated suicide due to the shame and mental health struggles caused by his actions. He stated, “I was suicidal for months, I’d destroyed what was potentially a good life.” Bale also emphasized that he recognized his mental health issues, which he believed contributed to his behavior, and he expressed a desire to prevent others from following the same path.

He conveyed that he understood many would no longer trust him, but he was committed to rebuilding his life with the support of his wife Tiffany, who was expecting their child in five weeks, as well as his parents and sisters. Bale stated, “I’m being punished and I should be, but if nothing else comes out of it, I hope I can dissuade anyone else from accessing these sites.” He clarified that he did not store any images on his computer but had only viewed them online, which forensic investigators could trace through his internet history. Bale reflected on the internal struggle that led him to look at these images, describing it as a 'puzzle he couldn’t put down,' and admitted that he did not derive sexual pleasure from the images, but was driven by curiosity.

He also acknowledged that his interest was sparked by discussions about paedophiles, leading him to search for what they viewed online. Bale expressed profound regret, calling his actions the 'biggest mistake of his life' that had 'destroyed' him. He revealed that he had sought help through an organization called Stop It Now, aiming to turn his experience into a positive force and prevent others from making similar mistakes.

At the sentencing hearing on December 7, Bale received a two-year community order. The court was informed that his career in local politics and his job prospects had been severely impacted by the case. The prosecution, represented by Terry Eastwood, recounted that in March 2010, a website called buildarecipe.co.uk had crashed due to an overwhelming number of hits, linked to the upload of illicit images. The police executed a warrant at Bale’s home, seizing two computers containing the images. Although most were of low severity, four images were classified as more serious. Evidence also showed Bale had searched for child pornography sites and attempted to delete his browsing history.

Judge Peter Martin emphasized the seriousness of the offences, noting that Bale could have faced imprisonment. However, considering Bale’s early guilty pleas and his cooperation, the court imposed a high-level community order for two years, including probation supervision and mandatory attendance at the Internet Sex Offenders’ Programme. Additionally, Bale was issued a five-year Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) and was required to register as a sex offender for the same period. The SOPO aimed to protect the public from serious sexual harm but did not restrict Bale’s contact with children. Instead, it prohibited him from obstructing police investigations or deleting his internet history. Bale was also ordered to pay £85 in prosecution costs.

Expressing remorse, Bale acknowledged that he would likely never return to politics and lamented the slanderous comments made about him on social media platforms like Facebook. He insisted that he did not have a secret interest in children and emphasized that the damage he had inflicted upon himself was worse than any external criticism. Bale concluded by warning others against seeking out such material, recognizing the lifelong stigma that would follow him. Despite the bleak outlook, he stated that his wife’s support was vital as he attempted to rebuild his life and move forward from the ordeal.