NICHOLAS CUMMINS SHOTTON PAEDOPHILE JAILED FOR REPREHENSIBLE CRIME INVOLVING YOUNG GIRL AND CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

A man from Shotton, Nicholas Cummins, has been sentenced to prison after a series of heinous crimes involving the exploitation and abuse of a young girl, as well as the possession of an extensive collection of indecent images of children. The case, heard at Mold Crown Court, revealed the disturbing extent of Cummins' actions and the serious threat he poses to public safety.

According to court records, Cummins, aged 39, was found guilty of taking indecent photographs of an eleven-year-old girl, along with images of two boys. The court heard that he was in possession of a staggering 8,190 indecent images stored across various devices, including a hard drive and USB drives. These images included 172 still photographs and 25 moving images classified as Category A, the most severe level of child exploitation material. Police investigations uncovered that Cummins had been searching for indecent images of children, primarily boys aged between three and fourteen, as well as infants, over a period spanning from 2008 to 2021.

Among the images found were 31 in Category C, depicting the eleven-year-old girl, who is protected by law from being identified. The collection also contained images of the two boys, aged eleven and seventeen at the time. The female victim, who was directly affected by Cummins' actions, issued a statement condemning his “repulsive crime,” expressing her ongoing fears that the images could resurface online in the future. She shared her struggles with intimacy, revealing that she finds it difficult to be unclothed in front of her current partner and described herself as an “overprotective and paranoid mother” due to her trauma.

Prosecutor Myles Wilson outlined that Cummins, who resides at Hafan Glyd in Shotton, was arrested in 2021. During the search, authorities discovered the extensive collection of illicit images and evidence of his online searches for similar material. The court was told that Cummins had no direct contact with any children, but his possession and distribution of such images, along with his sexual interest in minors, marked him as a significant danger to society.

Defence lawyer Peter Barnett acknowledged that Cummins has a sexual interest in children but emphasized that there was no physical contact with any minors. Barnett also highlighted that Cummins works in a supermarket and is the primary carer for his mother, noting that his imprisonment would have a severe impact on her. Despite this, he conceded that Cummins’ actions had caused “severe psychological harm” to the young girl involved.

Judge His Honour Rhys Rowlands addressed the court, stating that Cummins had denied any involvement in causing the girl to engage in sexual activity and was only convicted after a jury trial. The judge criticized Cummins for attempting to shift blame onto the girl’s mother and for showing no genuine remorse. He described Cummins’ attitude as indicative of “very dark and unnatural attitudes towards young children,” and declared that he must be classified as a dangerous offender.

As a result, Cummins was sentenced to six years in prison, with an additional 18 months on licence following his release. The court also imposed a 14-month concurrent sentence for the possession of indecent images in Category A and the same for Category C. He is required to serve at least two-thirds of his custodial sentence before being eligible to apply for parole. The judge emphasized the gravity of his crimes and the need for public protection, underscoring the serious consequences of his actions.