PAUL MANN FROM CRADLEY HEATH SENTENCED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY AND FILMING CRIME AT HOME

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Cradley Heath, Paul Mann, a 35-year-old man, has been sentenced to 42 months in prison after being found guilty of multiple serious offenses involving child exploitation and drug-related crimes. The case was heard at Wolverhampton Crown Court, where details emerged about Mann’s disturbing activities and the extent of his illegal actions.

According to court reports, Mann, who was employed at the time and had no prior criminal record, initially accessed a file sharing website to download music. However, what began as innocent curiosity quickly spiraled into a pattern of criminal behavior. Mann began searching for and downloading indecent images of children, which he subsequently shared with others online. The authorities uncovered that Mann had downloaded hundreds of such images, some of which he had produced himself.

The court was also informed that Mann used a covert camera hidden inside a shoebox to film a child. On two separate occasions, Mann manipulated the victim to obtain footage, an act that added to the severity of his crimes. The police investigation revealed that Mann’s illicit activities extended beyond digital content, involving direct physical abuse of a child.

On November 3, 2015, police officers from the child sexual exploitation team executed a raid at Mann’s residence on Woodhouse Way. The operation was initiated after authorities received intelligence about his internet activity. During the search, officers discovered two laptops and a memory stick. The majority of the indecent material was located on one of the laptops, which was hidden inside a bedroom wardrobe. The police found a total of 317 indecent images and videos, including seven recordings in which Mann himself appeared.

In addition to the child exploitation charges, Mann pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault against a child, two counts related to the production of indecent images, three counts of downloading such images, and three counts of distributing indecent material. The court also learned that Mann was involved in drug cultivation, with 48 cannabis plants found in a garage at the back of his property and another 20 plants in the loft. Mann claimed he was merely storing the plants for a friend while his house was on the market.

Further investigations uncovered approximately £7,000 in cash stored in a biscuit tin, which Mann stated was proceeds from the sale of a motorbike and a car. This money is now subject to confiscation under the Proceeds of Crime Act. Mann also admitted to allowing his property to be used for the production of controlled drugs and to illegally abstracting electricity, for which he received additional two-month jail sentences to run concurrently with his other sentences.

During sentencing, Miss Recorder Abigail Nixon emphasized the gravity of Mann’s actions, stating, “Without perverted men like you, children would not be abused.” The court ordered Mann to serve half of his 42-month sentence in custody. Additionally, Mann will be subject to a sexual harm prevention order for the next five years and must remain on the sex offenders’ register for life, reflecting the serious nature of his crimes and the ongoing risk he poses to the community of Cradley Heath.