TIVERTON MAN JONATHAN EDWARDS CAUGHT WITH CHILD ABUSE IMAGES IN SHOCKING CASE

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Tiverton, Jonathan Edwards, a 33-year-old resident of Newport Street, was found guilty of possessing and downloading explicit images involving children and animals. The case came to light after police executed a warrant at his home on June 26, 2013, where they seized a computer tower and a mobile phone. Despite the computer being password protected, investigators uncovered evidence that linked Edwards to the possession of illegal material.

During the investigation, police discovered that Edwards had conducted searches for child abuse images during late-night hours, specifically in the early hours of the morning. These searches coincided with his activities on a Facebook game called Cartown, which he frequently played. The evidence showed that some of the illicit images were stored within the game’s files, suggesting that Edwards had saved or accessed these images through the game’s folder system.

Authorities found a total of 47 child abuse images and 11 extreme images depicting bestiality, including disturbing scenes involving young children and animals. Among the most shocking images were those of a seven-year-old boy performing sexual acts with an adult man, a five-year-old girl depicted naked with an adult touching her genitals, and an approximately 11 or 12-year-old girl shown topless. These images were recovered from both his computer and his mobile phone, which was relatively new and only used by Edwards and his partner.

Edwards denied any involvement in the searches or the downloading of these images. He claimed that visitors to his home, who knew the password to his computer, must have been responsible for the illegal activity. However, police experts found that Edwards had made these searches himself, often in the middle of the night, and that the images were stored in folders associated with his online activities.

Further evidence revealed that Edwards also possessed images of adults engaging in sexual acts with animals, including horses. These images were found on his computer and mobile device. The police also discovered that some of these illicit images were stored on his partner’s phone, which she had only recently acquired, and which Edwards was the only person to use.

During the trial at Exeter Crown Court, the jury was presented with evidence of Edwards’s online activity, including searches made at around 3 a.m. on multiple occasions. The court heard that Edwards had built his computer system with a friend, but it had seized up a week before the police raid, inadvertently preserving his illegal files. The evidence indicated that Edwards had a significant collection of illegal images, including those involving children as young as seven and animals.

Judge Mr. James Watson, QC, presided over the case and found Edwards guilty of five counts of making or possessing indecent images of children and two counts of possessing extreme pornography involving bestiality. Edwards was sentenced to nine months in prison, but the sentence was suspended for two years. The judge also ordered Edwards to attend a sex offenders’ treatment program run by the probation service and to sign the sex offenders register. Additionally, a sexual harm prevention order was imposed, granting police the authority to monitor his internet activity to prevent further offenses.

In his remarks, Judge Watson noted that there was no evidence of systematic searching or escalation of activity over time. Instead, he described Edwards as a recluse attempting to find such images on his own. The judge emphasized that the material was downloaded late at night, and Edwards’s family was unaware of his activities. He also pointed out that since the offences, there had been no additional incidents, indicating a lack of ongoing criminal behavior.

This case highlights the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to combat the distribution and possession of illegal images online, and the serious consequences faced by those found guilty of such offenses in Tiverton and beyond.