STEVEN CAVELL OF THORNHILL RECEIVES SUSPENDED SENTENCE IN CARDIFF COURT FOR DOWNLOADING CHILD ABUSE IMAGES

In March 2010, a court heard how Steven David Cavell, a 49-year-old accountant and charity worker from Thornhill, led a double life involving the downloading of child abuse images. Despite his outward appearance as a diligent and respected community member, Cavell's hidden activities came to light last summer when police raided his home in Cae Garw and seized computer equipment.

Judge Christopher Llewellyn-Jones QC described the images found on two laptops—one in Cavell's bedroom and another in a downstairs study—as ‘disgusting and revolting’. Prosecutor Christian Jowett explained that Cavell cooperated fully during the police investigation, admitting he obtained the images via chatrooms and that he believed he could control his consumption but ultimately felt he was being controlled by it. He reportedly told officers, “He said he thought he could control it but it controlled him,” and that he had tried deleting the images in his remorse.

Cavell’s defense lawyer, Roger Griffiths, stated that his client had shown cooperation by providing passwords and even bringing in an additional computer to the police station. “That’s the sort of man he is,” Griffiths said, emphasizing Cavell's previously upright lifestyle and sincere regret. The lawyer noted Cavell was “bitterly ashamed” and recognized his need for help.

Michael Taylor, managing director of two companies and a professional associate of Cavell, provided a favorable character reference, saying he had known Cavell nearly 20 years and always found him to be trustworthy. However, Taylor admitted he was unsettled when Cavell confided about the charges six weeks prior and expressed uncertainty about whether he could continue working with him, depending on his other employees’ views.

The judge highlighted that Cavell had been downloading these offensive images over several years, gradually increasing the severity and explicitness of the content, which he described as ‘disgusting and revolting’. Addressing Cavell directly, he explained that he needed to consider the contrast between the man of good character—husband and family man—and the individual who viewed such disturbing images.

Ultimately, Cavell was sentenced to a five-month prison term, suspended for two years, with imposed requirements for supervision and participation in a sex offenders’ treatment program. His name will remain on the Sex Offenders’ Register for seven years. Additionally, he was given two months to pay the £792 prosecution costs after admitting to eight charges of making indecent images of children, one charge of possessing such images, and two counts related to extreme pornography.