SWADLINCOTE MAN CRAIG HAYWOOD SENTENCED FOR CHILD ABUSE IMAGES DISCOVERED IN COURT

In a case that has shocked the community of Swadlincote, Derbyshire, Craig Haywood, a married engineer, was found to have engaged in disturbing online searches and possession of indecent images involving children. The incident came to light during a court hearing at Derby Crown Court in February 2019, revealing the extent of his disturbing online activity.

According to court reports, police investigations uncovered that Haywood had conducted a series of highly inappropriate Google searches, including phrases such as “young teen virgin” and “pre teen.” These searches indicated a disturbing interest in underage individuals, and further scrutiny revealed that he had also searched for terms like “Lolita” and “schoolgirl,” which are often associated with adult pornography involving minors.

On April 24 of the previous year, law enforcement officers executed a raid at Haywood’s residence in Woodville, a locality within Swadlincote. During the search, electronic devices were seized, and analysis of these devices uncovered more than 130 indecent images of children. The investigation revealed that some of these images had been deliberately deleted, as they were stored in unallocated space on the devices, suggesting an attempt to conceal their existence.

Among the images found, five were classified as Category A, indicating the most severe level of abuse, depicting girls as young as nine engaging in sexual acts with adult males. In addition, four images fell into Category B, and a further 125 were categorized as Category C, which involves less severe but still illegal content. The police also discovered search histories containing terms such as “Lolita,” “schoolgirl,” “young teen virgin,” and “pre-teen,” confirming Haywood’s interest in such material.

During police interviews, Haywood initially denied that any indecent images would be found on his devices. However, after analysis, the evidence proved otherwise. The authorities confirmed that the images were present on two of his electronic devices, with some having been deleted but recoverable through forensic methods.

Prosecutor Mark Watson outlined the gravity of the case, emphasizing that Haywood’s actions involved viewing and possessing images depicting the sexual abuse of children, which causes real harm to the victims. The court heard that Haywood pleaded guilty to five counts of making indecent images of children.

In sentencing, Judge Nirmal Shant QC acknowledged the seriousness of the offences. He sentenced Haywood to eight months in prison, suspended for two years, meaning he would not serve time unless he committed further offences within that period. Additionally, Haywood was ordered to register as a sex offender for the next ten years and was subject to a sexual harm prevention order. The judge also emphasized the importance of rehabilitation, stating that Haywood would undergo 30 days of intensive one-to-one sessions with probation experts to address his offending behavior.

This case highlights the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to combat online child exploitation and the importance of monitoring and investigating such disturbing activities, especially within local communities like Swadlincote.