A teenager had photos and videos of toddlers being sexually abused, a court heard.
Cameron Williams, who previously pleaded guilty to numerous offences relating to the possession and distribution of child abuse material, appeared at Swindon Crown Court for sentencing today (Friday).
Prosecutor Matthew Lawson said police attended the 19-year-old’s address after intelligence was received about the sharing of abhorrent still and moving images to Kik, during conversations with “like-minded people”.
Officers seized his digital devices for analysis and discovered more than 200 indecent photos and videos – with 41 being in Category A, which depicts the most serious abuse.
“Some of the children were very young, going down to two years old, being vaginally raped”, Mr Lawson added.
He said some were “particularly depraved”, describing how in one movie shared with others a child aged between nine and eleven was tied up with her mouth taped shut as she was abused.
Williams, who was 17 at the time of his offending in 2021, told police in an interview that he had searched “teens” initially, but came upon conversations discussing the sexual abuse of children and shared images.
He was also found to be in possession of a single beastiality image, featuring dogs.
Eleanor Fargin, defending, said her client was “immature” but accepted the level of harm that was inflicted on the victims in the images – “something that is not usually seen” in sex offenders. He feels suicidal and has a very low mood, she added.
Judge Jason Taylor KC said the material was “particularly depraved” before reminding the defendant that “these are real children”.
He said the opportunity to rehabilitate should be “seized with both hands”, citing the defendant’s young age at the time and his willingness to seek help for his issues.
Williams, of Woodbury Close, Nine Elms, Swindon, was handed a two-year prison sentence suspended for two years. The defendant was told to complete 200 hours of unpaid work and 60 rehabilitation activity days.
He was ordered to register for five years and made the subject of sexual harm prevention order. The terms were not disclosed in open court, but will likely include restrictions on digital devices and the prohibition of deleting search history.
