LAMBURN HORSE RACING EMPLOYEE STEVEN KELLY SENTENCED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY OFFENSES

In May 2019, Steven Kelly, a 58-year-old man residing at Francomes Field in Lambourn, was found guilty of possessing and sharing indecent images of children. The case revealed disturbing details about Kelly’s involvement in the distribution of child abuse material, which he collected over a period spanning from October 21, 2016, to May 20, 2017. The images, some classified as Category A, depicted the most severe forms of sexual abuse inflicted upon minors.

Kelly’s criminal activities came to light when police executed a search warrant at his residence. During the raid, officers confiscated two mobile phones that contained the illicit images. Although Kelly admitted to downloading the images, he maintained a denial of any sexual interest in children, a stance that was challenged during the court proceedings.

At Reading Crown Court on Tuesday, April 23, Kelly appeared before Judge Emma Nott to face sentencing. The prosecution, led by Charles Royle, presented evidence that suggested Kelly’s involvement went beyond mere possession. Text messages recovered from Kelly’s phones indicated that he had been requesting additional photographs from an unidentified source. The messages implied that the images might have been staged, with someone being coerced or manipulated into posing for the photographs. When asked if Kelly knew the identities of those involved, the prosecutor confirmed that no such information had been provided.

Judge Nott expressed concern over Kelly’s apparent lack of remorse, noting that the messages pointed to a possible encouragement of abuse. She highlighted that Kelly’s denial of sexual interest was inconsistent with the evidence, which included explicit communications about seeking young girls and expressing a desire to engage in contact offenses. The court also heard character references from Kelly’s family members, including his wife, father, and sister-in-law, as well as a letter from his employer, Brendan Powell, a Lambourn-based racehorse trainer. These references painted a picture of a man who was generally straightforward and well-regarded, although they did little to mitigate the severity of his crimes.

During the hearing, Kelly’s defense argued that he had been honest in his dealings and that he was now facing the consequences of his actions. However, Judge Nott challenged this, emphasizing that Kelly’s own messages revealed a disturbing sexual interest in children and a desire to pursue contact offenses. The judge also noted that Kelly’s wife, with whom he had been married for 31 years, stood by him and pleaded for leniency.

In her sentencing remarks, Judge Nott condemned Kelly’s actions, describing the images as representing “the most serious sexual exploitation of children” and condemning him for his role in perpetuating such vile abuse. She read aloud some of the explicit messages Kelly had sent to other paedophiles, which included disturbing questions about how to manipulate young girls and expressions of a desire to be the one to abuse them. The judge warned that these messages revealed a troubling intent to move from possession and distribution to actual contact offenses.

Concluding her remarks, Judge Nott stated that the publicity resulting from the case would serve as a deterrent and a warning to others. She sentenced Kelly to two years in prison, but this was suspended for 18 months, meaning he would not serve time immediately unless he reoffended. Additionally, Kelly was ordered to pay costs of £500 and a victim surcharge of £115. To protect the community further, the court imposed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for a period of seven years, restricting Kelly’s future conduct and contact with minors.