OLIVER SEYMOUR FROM HODDESDON SENTENCED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY AT STEVENAGE'S LISTER HOSPITAL

In a disturbing case that has shocked the local community, Oliver Seymour, a 22-year-old student paediatric nurse from Hoddesdon, was sentenced for possessing and creating highly inappropriate and illegal images involving children. Seymour was employed at Stevenage's Lister Hospital, working on the paediatric ward, when his arrest uncovered a disturbing collection of illicit material stored on his computer.

Following his arrest in May, police conducted a thorough search of Seymour's personal computer and discovered more than 400 indecent images of children, along with 32 videos depicting child abuse. The material was classified into various levels of severity, with one film categorized as level five—the most explicit form of child pornography. Additionally, there were 16 films and four still images at level four, three films at level three, and other images that fell into less serious categories.

Seymour, who was in the final stages of completing a three-year nursing degree, faced serious consequences for his actions. During his appearance at St Albans Crown Court for sentencing, he was formally banned from working with children. His academic institution also took swift action, removing him from his nursing course with only one year remaining to qualify.

He had previously admitted to 10 counts of making indecent images and two counts of possessing such images during an earlier hearing. The court heard that Seymour resided on Cheffins Road in Hoddesdon at the time of his arrest.

Judge Martin Griffith presided over the case and sentenced Seymour to a three-year supervision order. In his remarks, the judge expressed disbelief and concern over Seymour’s dual role as a paediatric nurse and his possession of such disturbing material. He stated, “How on earth you can be a nurse working in paediatrics and have images like this on your computer beats me. You were working in the health service with children. Quite how that is supposed to be squared with the images of children being abused in the way that I have seen on your computer, it is impossible to say.”

The judge emphasized the gravity of Seymour’s misconduct, noting that his actions had effectively ended his nursing career. Seymour was ordered to participate in a sex offender’s rehabilitation programme and was disqualified from working with children. The court also mandated the destruction of his computer equipment and ordered him to pay costs of £250. The case has raised serious concerns about safeguarding and the importance of thorough background checks for healthcare professionals working with vulnerable children.