A Swindon paedophile who ‘traded sadistic and degrading’ images of children has avoid an immediate prison sentence.
Matthew Ely collected and exchanged more than one thousand photos and videos of abused youngsters online between November 2021 and February 2025.
The 39-year-old, who at the time worked for Swindon Borough Council, was caught with the “most sadistic and degrading” ever encountered by the police investigator.
Beccy Scott, from Wiltshire Police’s Child Internet Exploitation Team, added: “This was an extremely challenging case, with the images involving very young children being particularly distressing.
“I want to take this opportunity to reassure the community that none of the illegal images located, we believe, were physically taken by Ely himself.
“The forensic evidence clearly shows that Ely was actively engaging with others to trade child sexual abuse material.”
Ely, of Howse Garden, Rodbourne, was sentenced to 28 months’ imprisonment suspended for 30 months at Swindon Crown Court on 21 May.
The defendant will also have to participate in a rehabilitation activity for a maximum of 35 days, carry out 175 hours of unpaid work and pay £156 in court costs.
He is also made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for ten years and will be on the Sex Offenders Register for ten Years.
“He is a dangerous individual, and his sentence reflects both the seriousness of his offending and the risk he poses”, Ms Scott continued.
“Online child abuse material is not a victimless crime.
“Real children all over the world are being harmed, and by people like Matthew Ely engaging in this behaviour it only serves to create a market for this content.
“Anyone who engages in this content will face the full force of the law.”
