KEITH RIVERS FROM WITHAM FACES CRIMINAL CHARGES OVER ILLEGAL IMAGES

In a case that has shocked the local community of Witham, Keith Rivers, a man with a previously distinguished career as a charity director, has been found guilty of possessing and downloading hundreds of illicit images of children. The incident came to light after police conducted a raid on Rivers' residence on April 8, 2015, which was carried out in the presence of his wife and two children. The authorities had been investigating Rivers' online activity for some time, leading to the discovery of two computers that contained a total of 296 illegal images, which had been downloaded over a span of six years, from 2009 to 2015.

Among these images, 56 were classified as Category A, indicating the most severe level of indecent material involving children. The remaining images fell into Categories B and C, with 40 and 178 images respectively, along with 22 prohibited images. The severity of the material found on Rivers' devices underscored the gravity of the offense, prompting a court hearing at Chelmsford Crown Court.

During the proceedings, Rivers, aged 49 and formerly residing at Halfacres, faced multiple charges, including three counts of making indecent images and one count of possessing prohibited images. Initially, he entered a plea of not guilty on October 26, but after reviewing an expert report on his case, he ultimately admitted guilt. This change in plea led to a trial being scheduled, but the case was resolved before a full trial could take place.

On June 7, Rivers appeared before Judge Jonathan Seely, who sentenced him to an eight-month jail term, suspended for two years. In addition, Rivers was ordered to complete 280 hours of unpaid community work and pay a fine of £750. The court also imposed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and mandated that Rivers undertake 15 days of rehabilitation. The judge expressed concern that Rivers' remorse appeared to be motivated more by his financial difficulties than genuine regret for his actions, stating that the offending was extremely serious and had a profoundly negative impact on the young victims involved.

Rivers' background included a notable role as a director at the education charity Tower Hamlets Summer University, and he was involved in leading a House of Lords committee report on financial exclusion earlier this year. Despite his previous professional achievements, Rivers is now unemployed and in debt to the tune of £32,500. The court acknowledged the financial hardship he faces, which influenced the relatively lenient sentence, and emphasized the importance of addressing the serious nature of his crimes, which have caused significant harm to vulnerable children.