CHARLES KIDD FROM TIVERTON CAUGHT DOWNLOADING CHILD ABUSE IMAGES IN SHOCKING CASE

In July 2017, a disturbing case emerged involving Charles Kidd, a resident of Tiverton, who was found to have been searching for and downloading images depicting child sexual abuse. The incident came to light after police investigations traced his online activity through his IP address, leading to a raid on his home in Tiverton.

During the police search on March 25, 2016, officers seized a black Acer laptop from Kidd-Tilley’s residence, located on River View in Tiverton. The device contained a total of 72 still images, some of which were classified as the most severe category, Category A, indicating serious and explicit abuse of children. Among these, 11 images fell into this highest category, highlighting the gravity of the material found.

Kidd-Tilley, aged 30 at the time, was subsequently charged with making indecent images of children. During his court appearance, he admitted to the charges and explained that his online searches were driven by a desire to understand the nature of abuse, motivated by personal issues within his own family. He claimed he was not a paedophile and insisted that he had no sexual interest in children, asserting that his actions were an attempt to come to terms with his family circumstances.

Judge Geoffrey Mercer, QC, presided over the case and sentenced Kidd-Tilley to a three-year community order. As part of the sentence, he was ordered to attend a sex offenders’ course, pay costs of £250, and register as a sex offender for the next five years. Additionally, Kidd-Tilley was subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, which restricts his activities and access to certain materials for five years.

The judge emphasized the seriousness of the offence, stating, “You need to understand this was a very serious offence and if it happens again, you will go to prison. This must never happen again. A community order is the right course because you are of effective good character.”

Prosecutor Mr. Sean Brunton highlighted the gravity of the evidence, noting that the police found 72 images during their raid, with 11 classified as Category A, indicating the most severe form of child abuse imagery. Despite Kidd-Tilley’s claims of innocence and his explanation for seeking the images, the court made it clear that such offences are taken very seriously under the law, and the measures imposed reflect the need to protect vulnerable children from exploitation and harm.