Man jailed for viewing and sharing ‘horrific’ child sexual abuse images

An online sex offender has been jailed after downloading and sharing hundreds of ‘horrific’ child sexual abuse images.

Paul Smith, aged 41, came to the attention of Nottinghamshire Police when his IP address was linked to illicit images and videos stored on an online file sharing site.

When he was arrested in February 2022, Smith admitted to using the site to access images of adults, but also made voluntary reference to ‘child porn’ – saying that he made a point of instantly deleting any such images.

Officers then began a more detailed search of his then home address in  Grimston Road, Radford, and seized electronic devices.

Forensic examination of his mobile phone confirmed his use of the file sharing site and uncovered multiple prohibited images.

It also contained a damning history from use of an online chat application in which he shared and viewed hundreds of links to images and videos featuring children and babies.

Most of the images were graded as Category A – depicting the most serious sexual abuse of children by adults.

Smith, of Radford, initially denied any wrongdoing but later pleaded guilty to three counts of distributing indecent images of children and three counts of making indecent photographs of children.

He also admitted to possessing a prohibited image of a child, and possessing an extreme pornographic image of an animal.

Appearing at Nottingham Crown Court on Monday (29 July) he was given a seven year extended prison sentence and added to the sex offenders’ register for life.

He was also made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order that will tightly restrict his access to children and the internet once he is released.

Detective Constable Sarah Clarke, a specialist child abuse detective, said:

“Smith was involved in the distribution of some of the most horrific images I have come across in my policing career – some involving babies and very young children.

“These images really were as bad as it gets,  and I am pleased he has now received a lengthy prison sentence.

“When we first arrested him, Smith made reference to child pornography. In reality there is no such thing as children cannot possibly consent to the kinds of acts that are recorded.

“What we’re really dealing with here is child sexual abuse and I hope anyone thinking of viewing such images understands that.

“Because for every one of these images and videos there is a real child somewhere in the world suffering the most appalling physical and emotional abuse.

“People like Smith may not be committing this abuse in person, but they are certainly contributing to it, which is why we will continue to seek them out and put them before the courts.”