KEVIN FLOWERS FROM SHOEBURY CAUGHT HIDING CHILD ABUSE IMAGES IN CHICKEN COOP

In December 2020, a disturbing case emerged involving Kevin Flowers, a resident of High Street, Shoebury, who was found to have concealed a collection of illegal images and electronic devices linked to child sexual abuse. The investigation revealed that Flowers had hidden multiple phones and computers inside a chicken coop located in his garden, a deliberate attempt to evade detection by authorities.

Flowers, aged 53, had previously been sentenced on December 3, 2018, to a community order for possessing indecent images of children. As part of the conditions attached to his sentence, he was required to disclose all electronic devices he owned and was prohibited from accessing the internet. Despite these restrictions, Flowers failed to fully comply with the terms of his community order.

On at least two separate occasions, police inquiries about his electronic devices uncovered that he had not disclosed the full extent of his stash. Instead of revealing the hidden items, Flowers lied, claiming he only possessed a single mobile phone. However, police later discovered that he had three additional phones and two computers concealed in a bag at the bottom of his garden, specifically in the chicken coop.

The investigation further uncovered that during the period when Flowers was on bail, he continued to access and view indecent images of children. The authorities found that he possessed more than 2,000 such images, including 622 classified as Category A, which is considered the most severe type of illegal content. Additionally, three images depicted extreme pornography, highlighting the gravity of his offenses.

Flowers' actions and the evidence against him led to his appearance at Basildon Crown Court, where Judge Samantha Cohen presided over the case. The judge acknowledged that Flowers had initially accessed these images before his community order was issued but noted that he had not viewed them since.

Given his learning difficulties, the court took into account his mental capacity when delivering the sentence. Flowers was handed a 16-month prison sentence, which was suspended, meaning he would not serve time unless he committed further offenses within a specified period. Additionally, he was ordered to complete 60 days of rehabilitation to address his behavior and was found guilty of making indecent images and failing to comply with notification requirements, which are legal obligations for individuals involved in such offenses.