SHANE SMITH FROM NEWENT SENTENCED FOR DISTRIBUTING OVER 11,000 CHILD ABUSE IMAGES

In October 2015, Shane Smith, a 22-year-old resident of Gloucester Street in Newent, was sentenced to prison after admitting to a series of heinous crimes involving the possession and distribution of a vast collection of illegal images depicting child and baby abuse.

Smith's disturbing collection consisted of more than 11,000 photographs and videos, which he regarded as a form of casual swapping, akin to the old-fashioned exchange of cigarette cards, according to his defense barrister, Lisa Hennessy. She described Smith as a highly intelligent individual who had become a social recluse, living predominantly online and engaging in the illicit trade of these disturbing materials.

The police investigation was initiated after authorities in New South Wales, Australia, received a tip-off. They arrested a man there and discovered that Smith had supplied him with some of the illegal images and videos. This international connection led to further scrutiny of Smith's activities.

At Gloucester Crown Court, Smith pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including nine counts of making indecent photographs of children, six counts of distributing such images, and two counts of possessing extreme pornography involving animals. These offences spanned from January 2011 to March of the current year, highlighting a prolonged period of offending.

Judge Euan Ambrose sentenced Smith to five and a half years in prison. During the sentencing, the judge recounted a chilling incident where Smith had sent a video depicting a young girl, estimated to be between four and five years old, being abused by a man in Australia. Australian police had arrested the man in the video, and during their investigation, they uncovered the video that Smith had sent. Authorities traced the digital footprint back to Smith, leading to his arrest.

On March 4, law enforcement executed a warrant at Smith's residence. They seized his computer, iPod, and mobile phone, discovering a substantial number of indecent images of children, along with evidence of his distribution activities. The court emphasized that each image represented a real child being abused, and although Smith was not the perpetrator of the abuse, his viewing and sharing of these images contributed to the ongoing market that fuels such heinous acts.

Prosecutor Julian Kesner highlighted that Smith used a messaging system called KIK to collect and send these images and videos. During the police raid, his cousin was present but claimed he was unaware of Smith's activities, asserting that it was Shane who operated the KIK account. Smith was subsequently arrested at his workplace.

The authorities found a staggering 11,000 still images and 173 videos stored across his devices. Communications with others about the images included disturbing inquiries about the age of the children involved, with one message asking, “how young have you got?” and evidence suggesting that some of the children depicted were as young as two months old.

Mrs. Hennessy, defending Smith, pointed out that he possesses an 'unbelievably high' IQ, estimated at 130, but has struggled academically and suffers from severe depression. She expressed hope that Smith would return to education in the future, as she believed he was capable of achieving a First Class degree. She requested the court consider a suspended sentence to allow him access to treatment and rehabilitation, emphasizing his potential for positive change despite the grave nature of his crimes.