NEWTOWN MAN DAVID OWENS SENTENCED TO 3.5 YEARS FOR CHILD INDECENCY IMAGES AND ABUSE

In a case that has shocked the community of Newtown, David Owens, a 60-year-old resident of Plantation Close, Maesyrhandir, was sentenced to three and a half years in prison after being found guilty of possessing a vast collection of indecent images of children, including videos that depicted him engaging in inappropriate acts with a young boy.

The criminal proceedings revealed disturbing details about Owens' actions and the extent of his illegal activities. The investigation was initiated when police officers visited Owens' residence on November 29 of the previous year, following a link between his IP address and the presence of indecent images stored on his computer. During the search, authorities uncovered a significant number of illicit materials, including two videos explicitly showing Owens spanking a young boy's bare bottom, which he recorded for his own sexual gratification.

Prosecutor David Edwards outlined the severity of the case, stating that analysis of Owens' digital devices uncovered a total of 346 images classified as Category A, the most serious level of child abuse imagery. Additionally, there were 118 images categorized as B and 34 as C, indicating a wide spectrum of illegal content. The investigation also revealed that Owens had organized these images into specific files, with search terms indicating a deliberate effort to seek out such material.

One of the most troubling aspects of the case was Owens' refusal to cooperate with investigators. When asked to provide a password to access encrypted files, he declined, frustrating the police efforts to uncover the full extent of his activities. Judge Rhys Rowlands expressed concern over this obstruction, stating, “Who knows what could have been found,” emphasizing the potential for even more disturbing evidence.

Owens pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including sexually assaulting a child under 13, making four counts of indecent images of children, possessing indecent images, and failing to disclose information as required by a Section 49 notice. His actions and the evidence presented in court painted a picture of a man engaged in serious and predatory behavior.

As part of his sentencing, Owens was ordered to sign the sex offenders register for life and was subjected to a sexual harm prevention order, aimed at protecting the community from further harm. The case has left many in Newtown deeply concerned about the safety of children and the importance of vigilant law enforcement in tackling such heinous crimes.