STEPHEN NEVEY FROM KENILWORTH ESCAPES JAIL AFTER CHILD ABUSE IMAGE CHARGES

In September 2016, a significant case unfolded involving Stephen Nevey, a company director based in Kenilworth, who faced serious allegations related to the possession and download of indecent images of children. The proceedings took place at Warwick Crown Court, where Nevey appeared to be sentenced after admitting to two charges of making indecent images of children.

Nevey, aged 57 and residing on Clinton Lane in Kenilworth, was found to have downloaded images depicting children as young as five. Despite the gravity of the content, he was spared a custodial sentence, receiving instead a community order that will last for 12 months. As part of his sentence, he is also required to participate in a 20-day rehabilitation activity and must register as a sex offender for a period of five years.

The case was initiated when police officers executed a search warrant at Nevey’s residence in August of the previous year. During the search, they seized his laptop and an Apple MacBook. When questioned, Nevey admitted to downloading indecent images of children. However, the laptop was found to be broken, rendering it impossible to retrieve any data from it. Fortunately, the MacBook was intact enough to recover the images that formed the basis of the charges.

Authorities discovered three images classified as Category A, which are considered the most extreme in terms of content, along with 44 images categorized as less severe, or Category C. Further investigation revealed that a hard drive associated with Nevey contained search terms indicating he had specifically looked for more graphic and explicit images. Despite these findings, Nevey claimed that he did not derive sexual satisfaction from viewing the images. He stated that he had viewed approximately two dozen such images, including those of children as young as five.

During the sentencing, Judge Sylvia de Bertodano remarked, “I can only sentence him for what he’s charged with,” emphasizing the limitations of the charges in relation to the evidence. Prosecutor Peter Cooper explained that because the case was a committal for sentence from the magistrates’ court, there was no legal avenue to add further charges in the crown court to reflect Nevey’s admissions concerning the contents of his laptop.

It was also noted that Nevey, who was previously considered to be of good character, had a history of involvement in delivering presentations to children as part of his business activities. This background added a layer of concern, especially considering the restrictions now placed upon him, which prohibit him from working with children in the future.

William Douglas-Jones, defending Nevey, described him as a ‘motivational speaker’ and explained that both he and his wife are directors of their own company. He expressed that the conviction and the subsequent ban from working with children would have a ‘huge impact’ on their business operations, highlighting the personal and professional repercussions of the case.