KEVIN HIGGS FROM CHEPSTOW JAILED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY INVOLVING MOSCOW IMAGES

In July 2004, Kevin Higgs, a 21-year-old resident of Victoria Road, Bulwark, Chepstow, was sentenced to a two-year prison term after admitting to multiple charges related to the possession and distribution of indecent photographs involving children. The case was heard at Cardiff Crown Court, where it was revealed that Higgs had accessed and stored a significant collection of child sexual abuse images originating from Moscow.

Higgs faced six counts of making indecent photographs, three counts of distributing such images, and one count of possessing approximately 3,500 indecent photographs. Among these disturbing images, some depicted children as young as three or four years old, with one particularly heinous photograph showing a young boy tied with ropes being abused. The severity of the material found on his devices was emphasized during the court proceedings.

Judge Stephen Hopkins, who presided over the case, addressed Higgs directly, noting that he had no prior convictions. The judge stated, "The images which you clearly found sexually arousing, any right-minded person would find them nauseating and distressing." He emphasized the importance of sending a strong message to the public, asserting, "It’s my function to send out a clear message that those who access and distribute this filth will face custodial sentences."

Judge Hopkins also expressed concern over Higgs's apparent lack of understanding or willingness to acknowledge the seriousness of his actions. He remarked, "You are a sex offender and you do require treatment," highlighting the need for rehabilitation. The judge pointed out that the large volume of images and the young age of some of the children involved were aggravating factors in the case.

Prosecutor David Webster explained that police intelligence had led to investigations in Russia, which ultimately resulted in a search of Higgs’s home on May 16. During the search, authorities seized multiple computers and compact discs containing the illicit material. Higgs initially claimed to officers that he had been receiving pornographic content via email and suggested that he might have been hacked, stating, "I have been getting pornographic stuff on e-mail. I think I’ve been hacked." He also claimed to have been an inadvertent recipient of the images.

The police found a variety of images, both moving and still, ranging from less severe to the most serious levels of indecency. They also discovered file-sharing software on Higgs’s devices, and he admitted to sending emails containing these images to contacts in Italy. His defense lawyer, Michael Jones, commented on the case, saying, "Any right-thinking member of the public would be appalled at the images found in this man’s computer."

As part of his sentence, Higgs was ordered to register as a sex offender for ten years and was disqualified from working with children for life, reflecting the gravity of his offenses and the potential risk posed to the community.