KETTERING MAN PAUL KNIGHT RECEIVES DELAYED COURT HEARING IN BIGGLESWADE

In June 2021, a three-year delay in court proceedings was faced by Kettering resident Paul Knight, who was only brought before a court more than three years after his arrest. Knight, 55, was detained at his former residence in Geddington, Kettering, as part of an investigation by Northamptonshire police.

During a search of his devices, officers uncovered 395 indecent images of children, including 66 classified as 'category A,' the most severe category. Northampton Crown Court was informed that Knight was originally arrested in December 2017, making the duration between his arrest and the court appearance over three and a half years.

Prosecutor Mr. Andrew Peet explained to the court that the significant delay was partly due to Northamptonshire Police experiencing 'a massive backlog' related to the examination of electronic evidence. This issue comes amid a report from April this year, which revealed that the force’s Paedophile Online Investigation team (POLIT) faced a 70 percent increase in workload since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, on top of existing case numbers.

The report indicated that officers in the unit were managing an average of 31 cases, the highest caseload among all investigative teams in the force. Northamptonshire Police was contacted for a comment on these ongoing issues.

Knight, who currently resides on Hitchin Street in Biggleswade, was previously sentenced in 2005 for possessing indecent images of children, when he was fined. The images involved in the 2017 investigation were reportedly downloaded from 2007.

According to a probation service report, Knight expressed 'remorse' for his actions, although he continues to deny having a sexual attraction to children. His Honour Judge Rupert Mayo addressed him during sentencing, stating, 'Just in case you’re not aware Mr Knight, nobody treats the images in these cases as victimless crimes. The children in those images are substantially abused, and they bear the scars throughout their later lives.'

Knight received a 16-month prison sentence, which was suspended for two years. Additionally, he was ordered to complete 50 days of the 'Horizons' paedophile reform and rehabilitation programme.