DAVID CRAYDEN FROM MARKET RASEN SENTENCED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY OFFENSES IN LINCOLN

In October 2011, a disturbing case emerged involving a pensioner from Market Rasen who was found to have downloaded an alarming number of child pornography images onto his computer. The incident came to light after police executed a raid on his flat, which was situated adjacent to a children’s nursery on Kilnwell Road in Market Rasen. The authorities acted swiftly, forcing entry into the residence when they discovered that David Crayden was not at home at the time of the raid.

During the investigation, law enforcement officials seized computer equipment from Crayden’s flat. Subsequent forensic analysis revealed a horrifying collection of digital content, including dozens of videos and over five thousand images depicting the sexual abuse of young girls as young as three years old. The sheer volume of material underscored the severity of the case and the extent of Crayden’s involvement in the possession of such illicit content.

Crayden, who had recently relocated from Kent to the Market Rasen area, admitted to police that he had downloaded the images from file-sharing websites. He explained that his motivation stemmed from curiosity about what was available online, and he further disclosed that he had developed a habit of downloading such material. According to his own account, he had been viewing indecent images of children for approximately two years prior to his arrest. Crayden attempted to justify his actions by claiming he was not the creator of the images, nor the photographer, and emphasized that he had never paid for any of the content he accessed.

At the time of his arrest, Crayden was 68 years old and was residing at The Cloisters in Welton. On January 12 of the same year, he pleaded guilty to four charges related to the possession of a total of 5,578 child pornographic images. In addition, he admitted to eight charges of making indecent images of children and two charges involving possession of extreme pornography. His legal representative, Michael Cranmer-Brown, highlighted that Crayden had no prior criminal record and had cooperated fully with authorities by providing passwords to access his computer.

During the sentencing hearing, Judge Sean Morris acknowledged Crayden’s lack of previous convictions but emphasized the gravity of his offenses. The judge explained that the decision to suspend the nine-month jail sentence for two years was influenced by Crayden’s age, describing it as an act of mercy. The court also mandated that Crayden attend a sex offender rehabilitation course and register as a sex offender. Judge Morris underscored the seriousness of the crimes, stating, “These sort of offences are not victimless. Every image has a victim. There were a large number of images. This is a serious offence.” The ruling served as a stark reminder of the profound harm caused by such criminal behavior, even when the offender claims to be merely a consumer of illicit material.