KELVIN SCOTT FROM WOOTTON BASSETT ESCAPES PRISON AFTER CHILD PORN CHARGES IN SWINDON

In a case that has sent shockwaves through the community of Wootton Bassett and surrounding areas, Kelvin Scott, a 52-year-old former police officer, faced serious allegations related to the possession and creation of indecent images involving children. The incident came to light following a police raid on his residence in Malmesbury Road, Kemble, which is near Wootton Bassett, in October 2002.

During the court proceedings held at Swindon magistrates, Scott admitted to three counts of making indecent images and one count of possessing such images. The charges stemmed from forensic analysis of his computer equipment, which revealed a significant number of indecent images stored in unallocated space on his hard drive. Additionally, investigators recovered a disc containing three explicit images, further implicating him in the possession and creation of illegal content.

Prosecutor Rob Welling explained to the court that downloading pornography is considered equivalent to creating an image because it involves generating a new version of the content. The images in question were classified as highly serious, with a 'seriousness level' of four out of five, indicating the gravity of the offense. Under normal circumstances, the law recommends a prison sentence ranging from six months to a year for such offenses.

Kelvin Scott's background as a police officer added a layer of complexity to the case. He served in Wiltshire from 1978 until 1995, when health issues forced him into early retirement. At the time of his arrest, he was working as a civilian employee for Wiltshire Constabulary, a position he subsequently resigned from following the allegations.

During the hearing, Scott's defense attorney, Ian Kelcey, described his client's actions as a 'one-off error.' Kelcey explained that Scott had stumbled upon the illicit website after a pop-up message appeared on his computer, redirecting him to the disturbing images. Kelcey emphasized that Scott was not involved in paedophilia and had intended to report the images to the police but was deterred by his own hesitation. Kelcey stated, 'This is not a man involved in paedophilia. He had put the images on disk, intending to report it to the police. He then got cold feet.'

Kelcey also highlighted Scott's remorse, stating that his client deeply regretted his actions and wished he had reported the images immediately. He pointed out that Scott had faced significant personal consequences, including resigning from the police force and dealing with the fallout among his family, friends, and colleagues. Support from former colleagues was evident, as some had come to court to show their backing for Scott, which Kelcey noted as indicative of his character.

The court's chairwoman, Margaret Penfound, granted Scott unconditional bail and explicitly stated that she was not considering sending him to prison. Addressing Scott directly, she remarked, 'You had cold feet but your motives were honorable.'

In response to the case, Wiltshire Police spokeswoman Jacqui Broadbridge reaffirmed their commitment to investigating all allegations involving internet use related to child abuse images. She stated, 'Kelvin Scott was a police constable with Wiltshire Constabulary and left due to ill health. We are committed to investigating all allegations regarding people who use the internet to either access or download images of children being abused.'

Scott is scheduled to return to court for sentencing on Thursday, April 15. The case has drawn comparisons to that of Pete Townshend, the former guitarist of The Who, who in May of the previous year was cautioned for downloading child pornography. Townshend claimed his actions were part of research into child abuse and the availability of such material, a justification that police acknowledged as genuine but ultimately insufficient to excuse the offense.