ALVARO VELOSA FROM ST MARTIN SENTENCED TO 18 MONTHS FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY OFFENSES IN JERSEY

On January 28, 2011, Alvaro Pereira Velosa, aged 45 and residing in St Martin, faced serious criminal charges related to the possession and distribution of child pornography. Velosa pleaded guilty to the charges, which involved the possession of a significant collection of indecent images and video clips depicting children in sexual situations.

The authorities discovered approximately ninety-three indecent photographs on Velosa’s computer hard drive and a detachable drive used with the computer. These images had been downloaded over a period of seven months, and they remained accessible to the user at all times. The collection included material that was classified at the higher levels of the Copine scale, indicating highly explicit content involving penetrative sexual acts between adults and children, as well as instances of sadism. Several of the video clips contained audio tracks, allowing listeners to hear the distress of the children involved, adding to the severity of the offense.

Further investigation revealed that Velosa had actively searched for such material using specific search terms, including “Paedofelia,” “eight year,” “seven year,” and “nine year.” The file sharing function on his software was enabled, which allowed other users of the same platform to download the child pornography stored on his device. All the illicit material was downloaded from the internet, indicating deliberate collection and sharing.

In mitigation, Velosa’s legal representatives highlighted his immediate cooperation with authorities and his guilty plea as signs of remorse. They also pointed out his good character, his role as a supporter of three children, and the fact that he discovered the images accidentally, initially viewing them out of curiosity. His defense argued that his actions were uncharacteristic and were triggered by emotional turmoil stemming from a separation from his wife. They also emphasized that Velosa was a victim of the pernicious and addictive nature of the child pornography industry.

He requested that the court consider his references, employment in the hospitality industry, and his responsibilities as a father when determining the conditions of any restraining order. Velosa had prior minor convictions related to motoring matters and a written warning for cruelty and wilful neglect of a child under 16 years of age.

The court sentenced Velosa to a total of 18 months’ imprisonment, with the sentences for multiple counts to run concurrently. Specifically, he received 18 months for the first two counts, 15 months for several subsequent counts, and shorter terms for the remaining charges. Additionally, the court ordered the forfeiture of the computer and related equipment under the Criminal Justice (Forfeiture Orders)(Jersey) Law 2001.

Furthermore, under the Sex Offenders (Jersey) Law 2010, Velosa was ordered to remain on the Sex Offenders’ Register for a period of five years, during which he would be subject to notification requirements. The court also imposed a restraining order under Article 10(4), which included conditions such as prohibiting Velosa from acquiring or using software designed to conceal or encrypt internet activity for five years, allowing police access to his residence and vehicle for inspection, and restricting unsupervised contact with anyone under 18 years of age. Supervised contact could be permitted under the guidance of the Children’s Service, with exceptions for everyday activities like shopping or dining out.

Judge’s remarks expressed concern over the increasing prevalence of such offenses within the community and indicated that the court would consider increasing the general tariff if necessary. The case also involved Velosa’s arrest in August 2010, when police seized his computer and examined several hard drives. He was charged with making indecent images of children, with the alleged offenses occurring between July 9 and July 31 of that year. Velosa appeared before the Magistrate’s Court, was granted bail, and scheduled for a subsequent hearing on September 1. Velosa’s residence is located at Rue du Clos Fallu, St Martin, and he is currently under investigation for these serious allegations involving child abuse images.