NATHAN MATTHEWS FROM HEMINGBROUGH INVOLVED IN CHILD PORNOGRAPHY SCANDAL NEAR SELBY

In April 2023, a disturbing case emerged involving Nathan Matthews, a young man from Hemingbrough near Selby, who was found to possess an extensive collection of illegal images of children. The case was brought before York Magistrates' Court, revealing the depth of Matthews' involvement in child exploitation and the disturbing nature of his online activities.

Prosecutor Melanie Ibbotson detailed the investigation, explaining that authorities had attempted to contact over 30 children both within the United Kingdom and internationally as part of an ongoing and comprehensive inquiry into Matthews' actions. The investigation uncovered more than 500 illicit images of minors, a significant portion of which had been directly sent to Matthews by the children themselves, rather than being sourced from external pornographic websites. This indicates a troubling pattern of communication and exploitation.

Among the children identified and contacted during the investigation, only one was willing to cooperate and provide a statement to the police. The court heard that Matthews, then 17 years old, had engaged in illicit communication with an underage girl, persuading her to send him nude photographs. The severity of his actions was underscored by the fact that police found a total of 544 illegal images on his devices, categorized into different levels of severity. Of these, 74 images were classified as the most serious, 106 as of medium severity, and 364 as the least serious. The authorities confirmed that 237 of these images were taken of children and then sent directly to Matthews, rather than being downloaded from the internet.

During the proceedings, Matthews pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including inciting an underage girl into sexual activity and possessing indecent images of children. All these offenses occurred when he was 17 years old. The court was informed that Matthews had used chat applications on his internet-enabled devices, indicating an interest in young females and engaging in inappropriate online behavior.

District Judge Adrian Lower addressed the court, noting Matthews' remarks to a probation report author, where he claimed, “Everyone else is doing it, I can’t see what the problem is.” The judge expressed strong disapproval of Matthews' attitude, emphasizing the seriousness of his offenses. Had Matthews been an adult at the time, the judge stated, he would have imposed a custodial sentence.

Instead, Matthews was sentenced to a two-year community order. This included a 70-day sex offenders’ rehabilitation program, 30 days of rehabilitative activities, and 200 hours of unpaid work. Additionally, he was placed on the sex offenders’ register for five years and subject to a five-year sexual harm prevention order. This order prohibits him from contacting children under 16, restricts his internet usage, and allows police to monitor his online activities to prevent further offenses.

In his sentencing remarks, Judge Lower highlighted the troubling issue of early sexualization of children, attributing some of the problem to the internet, which he described as “a trap for the unwary.” He acknowledged that peer pressure among boys of Matthews’ age at the time could influence such behavior, but emphasized that engaging in illegal activities like viewing or sharing inappropriate images is never justified. The judge’s comments underscored the importance of safeguarding children and the dangers posed by online exploitation, especially when young individuals like Matthews become involved in such criminal conduct.