BRADLEY SEDGEMAN FROM PLYMOUTH CAUGHT WITH VILE CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE IMAGES
In October 2020, a disturbing case emerged involving Bradley Sedgeman, a 25-year-old resident of Plymouth, who was found to possess and download highly inappropriate images depicting children engaged in sexual abuse.The incident came to light after police investigations revealed that Sedgeman had accessed and stored these illicit images while living at his family home in Plymouth.
According to court records, Sedgeman had downloaded a total of 25 images from the internet, some of which fell into the most severe category, illustrating children being sexually abused by adults.
The Plymouth Crown Court heard that these images were traced back to an IP address registered at his residence on Bodmin Road, Whitleigh, where he was living with his parents at the time.
During police searches conducted on September 12, 2018, officers seized devices from Sedgeman’s home.
Upon confrontation, Sedgeman immediately handed over his electronic devices and admitted to being responsible for the downloads.
In his police interview, he expressed remorse, stating that he recognized he had a serious problem that had spiraled out of control.
He explained that his initial curiosity was sparked by visiting legitimate websites, but he eventually followed links that led to more disturbing content.
His legal representative, Ali Rafati, informed the court that Sedgeman had sought help prior to his arrest.
He had contacted a support group to address his issues, although he had not deleted the images from his devices.
Rafati emphasized that Sedgeman had been supported by his family and his employers over the past two years, during which he had maintained employment and stayed out of further trouble.
The court was also told that Sedgeman had been open and honest about his predicament, and that his family, including his parents, were present in court.
Prosecutor Katie Churcher outlined that police investigations confirmed the images' origin and that Sedgeman had pleaded guilty to three counts of possession of indecent images, each corresponding to different levels of severity.
The images included ten in the most serious category, depicting children being sexually abused.
In sentencing, Recorder Robert Bright acknowledged that Sedgeman had ceased downloading images prior to the police visit.
However, he pointed out that the search terms used on Sedgeman’s laptop indicated a clear intent to find such material.
The judge emphasized the importance of community protection and rehabilitation, ultimately imposing a three-year community order combined with sex offender treatment.
Additionally, Sedgeman was subjected to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, which grants authorities the authority to monitor his internet activity for five years.
He was also required to sign the Sex Offender Register for the same duration, ensuring ongoing oversight of his conduct and compliance with the law.
