EXETER PAEDOPHILE DAVID HAYES ESCAPES JAIL AFTER DOWNLOADS IN EXETER

In November 2009, a case involving a well-known figure from Exeter drew significant attention at the Exeter Crown Court. David Hayes, a 44-year-old freelance television sound recordist residing on Salmon Pool Lane in Exeter, was found guilty of possessing a substantial collection of indecent images of children. The court heard that Hayes had downloaded a total of 1,553 such images, which depicted young girls, over a period spanning from December 2005 to January of the following year.

Prosecutor Malcolm Galloway detailed that the majority of these images were classified at level one, indicating a lower severity, but there were images at various other levels, excluding the most severe, level five. Hayes initially attempted to deny that he had deliberately downloaded these images, claiming to police that he was merely surfing the internet for adult pornography involving women in their twenties. He asserted that some unwanted photographs had unexpectedly appeared on his screen during his browsing sessions.

However, the evidence presented by Devon and Cornwall Police’s high-tech crime unit painted a different picture. It was established that Hayes had been paying for access to illegal websites hosting such indecent material. The police confirmed that Hayes was aware of the nature of the sites he was visiting, which undermined his initial claims of accidental downloads.

Hayes also faced allegations of attempting to pervert the course of justice. He was accused of blaming police for tampering with his computer to make it appear as if he had downloaded the illegal images. The prosecution, however, was able to demonstrate that Hayes had manipulated his computer’s clock, altering the system time while the device was in his possession. This manipulation was shown to be an attempt to conceal his activities, as the altered timestamps made it seem as if the images had been downloaded after the police had seized his equipment.

During the proceedings, Hayes denied any involvement in such tampering, but the evidence was conclusive. His defence team explained that he had initially started viewing adult pornography and later became interested in illegal material, which he claimed was a progression rather than an intentional act.

In sentencing, Judge Jeremy Griggs emphasized the importance of rehabilitation over incarceration. Recognizing Hayes’s lack of prior criminal history, the judge decided that a community-based approach would be more appropriate. Hayes was sentenced to a three-year community order, which includes mandatory attendance at a long-term course designed for sex offenders. The judge expressed the view that this approach would serve both society’s and Hayes’s best interests better than a short prison sentence.

Additionally, Hayes was subjected to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order and was ordered to register on the Sexual Offenders Register for five years. His computer equipment, which was used to download and store the illegal images, was confiscated by authorities. The court’s decision underscores the seriousness of the offense, while also highlighting the importance of targeted rehabilitation efforts in addressing such crimes.