PETER BELL FROM CORSHAM AND SOUTHAMPTON JAILED FOR CHILD ABUSE IMAGE DOWNLOADS

In a disturbing case that has shocked the local communities of Corsham and Southampton, Peter Bell, a 59-year-old man, has been sentenced to prison after a lengthy investigation into his online activities involving the illegal download of child abuse images and videos.

Bell's criminal behavior spanned over a period of nearly seven years, during which he used peer-to-peer file sharing software to search for and obtain highly disturbing material depicting the abuse of young children. His searches included explicit terms such as 'boy love,' indicating a deliberate intent to locate such illicit content.

The case came to light in January when police executed a warrant at Bell’s residence. Authorities seized a laptop, an external hard drive, and a memory stick, which upon examination revealed a horrifying collection of 755 indecent images and videos of children. These materials, downloaded between September 2007 and January of this year, predominantly featured children aged between one and twelve years old. Some of the most egregious images involved very young children, around three years old, being subjected to sexual assault, including rape.

Prosecutor Tessa Hingston informed Swindon Crown Court that Bell had acknowledged his use of software to access the illicit material and was aware of the meaning behind his search terms. She emphasized that Bell knew the content he was downloading was both illegal and child abuse imagery.

During the court proceedings, Bell, who provided an address in Southampton, pleaded guilty to five counts of making indecent images of children, one count of possessing indecent images, and one count of possessing prohibited images. His defense attorney, Andrew Eddy, stated that since his client’s arrest, Bell has sought professional help to prevent further viewing of such material. Eddy argued that Bell has gained insight into the severity of his actions, recognizing that the images depict real children and that his offending is a serious matter.

Despite these efforts, the judge, Tim Mousley QC, underscored the gravity of the case. He highlighted the disturbing nature of the images, the large volume of material, and the extended period during which Bell engaged in this illegal activity. The judge pointed out that each image represented a victim, with some children being very young and the content including moving images, which further exacerbated the seriousness of the offense.

Judge Mousley sentenced Bell to 20 months in prison. Additionally, he ordered Bell to register as a sex offender for ten years and to comply with a sexual offences prevention order for five years. The judge’s remarks made it clear that Bell’s actions had caused significant harm, and the sentence reflected the need to protect the public from such offending behavior.

Prior to sentencing, Bell appeared at Swindon Crown Court and was granted bail until September 19, with the case adjourned for further proceedings. The court warned Bell that bail should not be interpreted as a sign of leniency, emphasizing that the final outcome would depend on the sentencing. The court also mandated that Bell register as a sex offender, with the duration of notification to be determined based on the final sentence imposed.