DAVID COLLINS AND HIS SHOCKING CHILD ABUSE IN LONDON
A profoundly disturbing case involving a convicted paedophile has shocked the London community, as David Collins, aged 52, was sentenced to five years in prison for heinous crimes against two young children.His actions, which have inflicted lasting trauma on his victims and their families, have finally been brought to justice after a lengthy legal process that spanned over five years.
The criminal acts took place over several years, during which Collins exploited the innocence of two children under the age of 13.
Authorities recovered hundreds of indecent images from his devices, including explicit selfies he took during the abuse.
The trial at Croydon Crown Court culminated in Collins being found guilty of three counts of sexual assault by touching, committed against both children.
The assault methods involved him sitting with the children on his lap, employing an iPad as a decoy to conceal his reprehensible actions.
The case came to light after the first victim, referred to here as Child A to preserve their anonymity, confided in a schoolfriend in 2017 about being abused.
This revelation prompted their mother to initiate an investigation, which quickly uncovered evidence of the abuse.
Subsequently, a second victim, referred to as Child B, disclosed to their parents that they too had fallen prey to Collins.
These disclosures set in motion a police investigation that revealed over 844 pictures of Child B on Collins's devices, in addition to other compromising images of Child A.
David Collins, a former game developer associated with Sony, used his household devices to carry out the abuse, manipulating the children into sitting on his lap during the assaults.
His arrest unveiled a dark trove of evidence, including hundreds of indecent images, which highlighted the extent of his criminal behavior.
Relatives of Child A expressed their deep sorrow and distress over the case.
One family member stated, "I watched [them] change from being this full of life, bubbly young kid to a sad, depressed child.
I remember taking [them] out once and we got the photos back from that day, and [they] just looked dead behind the eyes.
It’s one of the hardest things I’ve seen." The long wait for justice significantly affected the victims’ mental health, with a relative adding, "It took five years for this case to go to trial, and that prolonged stress has done half of the damage.
The process was exhausting and caused further trauma, especially since they had to be re-interviewed multiple times." The families endured additional frustration when they received abrupt notifications that the sentencing date had been changed on two separate occasions, adding to their anxiety and despair.
One family member criticized the leniency they perceived in the case, saying, "He shouldn’t be getting any kind of leniency—he’s still not even listed on the sex offenders register.
Everything about this case has been mishandled." The emotional toll on Child A's family has been especially severe.
The victim has been unable to attend school regularly and expressed feelings of hopelessness, revealing in a statement that the trauma led to health complications such as epilepsy.
"[They] wanted to kill [themselves], [they] didn’t want to be here anymore," the relative recounted.
While Collins’s imprisonment will serve only five years, questions remain about the potential for further victims.
Both families suspect that others may still be silent, fearing retaliation or shame, and they urge anyone with information to come forward.
A relative of Child B emphasized this concern, stating, "We believe he didn’t wake up at 40 and decide to do this.
There are likely more victims—people who want to stop this from happening again." Collins, who resides on Byrnes Road, Croydon, was subjected to a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order and has been placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life.
His case serves as a grim reminder of the ongoing threat posed by individuals who abuse their positions of trust and manipulate the innocence of children, making it imperative for community vigilance and continued efforts to protect vulnerable minors in London and beyond.
