STEVE KEEL RAMSBURY CHILD SEX OFFENDER SENTENCED IN SALISBURY

In January 2003, Steven Keel, a 46-year-old unemployed carpenter from Ramsbury, was sentenced at Salisbury Crown Court for a series of serious criminal offenses involving child exploitation and indecency. The court heard that Keel had previously been convicted a decade earlier for similar offenses, highlighting a troubling pattern of behavior.

On this occasion, Keel was found guilty of committing an act of gross indecency in front of two young girls, aged ten and eleven, while they were paddling in the River Kennet at Mill Lane, Ramsbury. The incident took place on June 29 of the previous year and caused significant trauma to the victims. Prosecutor Matthew Scott described the impact on the ten-year-old girl, stating that she had been deeply traumatized, suffering from recurring nightmares in which Keel was chasing her over a cliff for several months following the event. The court was told that the eleven-year-old girl appeared to have been similarly affected, although specific details were not provided.

During the sentencing hearing, it was revealed that Keel had a prior conviction from 1992, when he appeared before Swindon Crown Court on charges of indecent assault on girls under 14 and gross indecency with a child. He was given an 18-month probation period for those offenses. The current case further underscored his pattern of offending.

At the time of his arrest, police executed a search at Keel’s residence in Ramsbury, uncovering six cannabis plants being cultivated under artificial light. Additionally, they seized his computer for examination, discovering 275 images depicting explicit child pornography. The images ranged in apparent age from as young as one year old to early adolescence, with some children depicted in highly disturbing scenarios. Prosecutor Scott emphasized the severity of these findings, noting the disturbing nature of the material involved.

Keel admitted to the police both the incident at the river and the possession of the indecent images and videos. He explained that he had not intended to upset the girls and that he had been visiting the river spot regularly over a period of approximately two years to commit acts of gross indecency. When questioned, Keel also acknowledged the possession of the images but claimed he was unaware of their explicit content until they had been downloaded onto his computer. He stated that the images came as a shock to him and that he had not intended to share or distribute them.

Defense lawyer Roger Jones argued that Keel did not realize the traumatic impact his actions would have on the victims. He emphasized that there was no physical contact or intent to touch the girls, asserting that Keel’s actions were solely of a voyeuristic nature. Regarding the computer images, Mr. Jones explained that Keel had inadvertently downloaded the material while attempting to download a program and was unaware of their explicit content until after the fact. He further stated that Keel had not taken any steps to delete the images immediately and had no intention of sharing them with others.

Sentencing, Mr. Justice Murphy ordered that Keel serve six months in prison for each of the two gross indecency charges, to run concurrently. Additionally, he received ten-month concurrent sentences for 13 counts related to downloading indecent images of children. The judge also mandated that Keel be placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for ten years, citing the seriousness of his offenses and the medium to high risk of re-offending as assessed by probation officers. Keel showed no visible emotion during the proceedings, staring at the floor of the dock throughout the 90-minute hearing. Furthermore, he was sentenced to one month in jail for cultivating cannabis, to be served concurrently with his other sentences.

Keel’s criminal history, combined with the recent offenses, paints a disturbing picture of a man with a long-standing pattern of predatory behavior. The court’s decision reflects the gravity of his actions and the ongoing concern for public safety in Ramsbury and beyond.