KEATS HARVEY OF WEST WITTERING SENTENCED FOR CHILD SEXUAL OFFENSES IN CHICHESTER

A man convicted of sexually abusing young children and actively seeking further opportunities to offend has been sentenced after a National Crime Agency (NCA) investigation. Keats Harvey, a 24-year-old American national, groomed and assaulted four children, with the youngest being a toddler.

Harvey was apprehended at his residence in West Wittering, Chichester, in May 2020. During the investigation, authorities discovered he possessed nearly 9,000 indecent images of children and 630 prohibited images on his electronic devices, compiled between 2015 and 2020. These included 860 Category A images—the most severe—along with 1,290 Category B and 6,984 Category C images.

The NCA uncovered extensive chat logs and emails where Harvey sent and received these images from other individuals with similar interests. He also admitted to molesting three young children. As a result, four children who had been abused by Harvey—each under ten years old—were identified and safeguarded.

Harvey met his victims through acquaintances and even assaulted one during a party. He further attempted to locate potential victims by befriending vulnerable adults with children and applying for jobs in locations like hospitals and nurseries, where he could access children.

Investigations led the NCA to identify another American national suspected of abusing an eleven-year-old boy. Sharing intelligence with authorities in Seattle, they arrested the suspect, a teacher, ensuring the child's safety.

On 29 July 2021, Harvey appeared at Hove Crown Court, where he was found guilty of multiple charges: six counts of possessing indecent images of children (categories A-C), two counts of possessing prohibited images, two counts of taking and one of distributing indecent images of a child, two counts of assaulting a child under 13 by touching, and one count of meeting a girl under 16 following grooming.

He is scheduled to be sentenced on 8 October 2021 at the same court.

Peter Stevens, Branch Commander at the NCA, commented, "Keats Harvey was conducting very serious offending, not just online but by physically abusing young children." He added, "He actively sought to befriend adults with children and researched jobs at hospitals and nurseries to gain access. His behavior was escalating in severity."

"Prosecuting individuals like Harvey, who pose a sexual risk to children, is a priority for the NCA. My team worked tirelessly, supported by the Crown Prosecution Service, analyzing disturbing material to build a case against him and ensure justice."

He concluded, "We also collaborated with police partners, notably Sussex and Hampshire Police, to identify offenders and protect victims."