ANTONIO SALAMINO FROM NEWCASTLE-UNDER-LYME SENTENCED FOR CHILD SEX OFFENCES IN STOKE-ON-TRENT

In a disturbing case that has shocked the local community, Antonio Salamino, a 36-year-old resident of Newcastle-under-Lyme, was convicted and sentenced for a series of serious child sex offences. The case unfolded in Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court, where details emerged of Salamino's attempts to exploit a minor through online communications and the possession of indecent images.

Salamino had engaged in a sinister online grooming operation, using the pseudonym 'Tom Yard' in an internet chatroom. His target was a girl he believed to be 12 years old, who was actually an undercover police officer working for the Metropolitan Police. Despite being aware of her true age, Salamino continued to communicate with her, discussing sexual topics and attempting to persuade her to perform a sexual act on herself. Prosecutor Fiona Cortese highlighted that Salamino frequently asked her to meet up with the intent of engaging in sexual activity, demonstrating a clear predatory intent.

The police investigation led to searches of Salamino's properties located in Abbey Hulton and Newcastle. During these searches, authorities discovered hundreds of indecent images of children stored on his computer. The evidence was overwhelming, and Salamino was promptly arrested. Under questioning, he admitted responsibility for all the images found on his devices. He expressed shame over his actions and acknowledged having a sexual interest in children, though he insisted he had not physically harmed any child and claimed he would never do so.

Salamino, who resides on Albermarle Road in Newcastle, faced multiple charges. These included three counts of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity, three counts of attempting to cause a child to watch a sexual act, ten counts of making indecent photographs of children between June 2008 and June 2012, and possession of eleven extreme pornographic images. His guilty plea was accepted by the court, reflecting the gravity of his offences.

During the sentencing hearing, Robert Smith, representing Salamino, explained that his client's curiosity about indecent images of children had begun approximately four years prior, and over time, this curiosity escalated into more serious offending behavior. The judge, His Honour Judge Paul Glenn, described the offences as extremely serious, emphasizing that only immediate custody was appropriate. Salamino was sentenced to two years in prison. Additionally, he was placed under an indefinite sexual offences prevention order and will be required to register as a sex offender for the next ten years.

Judge Glenn remarked on the disturbing nature of the evidence, stating, "I have read your chat logs. The tenor leaves me in no doubt you wanted to put what you said into effect. Police found a large number of indecent images. Many involved children under 13 – real children being abused for the entertainment of people such as you." The case underscores the ongoing threat posed by online predators and the importance of vigilant law enforcement in protecting vulnerable children from exploitation.