KIERAN SLATER FROM TUNSTALL INVOLVED IN CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CASE IN STOKE-ON-TRENT

In September 2023, Kieran Slater, a 26-year-old resident of Tunstall, became the focus of a serious criminal case involving the possession and distribution of indecent images of children. The case was heard at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court, where it was revealed that Slater had accessed and shared illegal material at the end of 2021 and the beginning of 2022.

According to court proceedings, Slater, who was studying at Brighton University in 2019, claimed that his mental health deteriorated during the COVID-19 pandemic, leading him to withdraw from the university and return to his hometown of Tunstall in the Potteries area to live with his mother. He explained that his social isolation during this period contributed to his actions, which he now recognizes as deeply harmful.

His legal representative, Paul Cliff, stated in court that Slater had become increasingly withdrawn from real-world interactions and had engaged extensively with online communities that, according to the defense, had a disturbing interest in children. This online engagement reportedly played a role in his involvement with illegal images.

Slater pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including distributing category A and B indecent images of children, making category A images, possessing a prohibited image of a child, creating category C images, distributing category C images, possessing extreme pornographic material, and making category B images. These charges reflect a pattern of serious offenses involving the exploitation of minors and the circulation of highly illegal content.

Judge Graeme Smith delivered the sentence, which included a two-year prison term that was suspended for two years. As part of his sentencing, Slater is required to undertake a 55-day rehabilitation activity, complete an iHorizon course, and perform 200 hours of unpaid community service. The judge emphasized the severity of the issue, stating, "There is an epidemic of child pornography in this nation at this time. You have become involved in that epidemic. You not only viewed some of the images but you forwarded them to other people, thus perpetuating the cycle."

Furthermore, Slater was subjected to a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and was placed on the sex offenders' register for the same duration. The court also ordered the confiscation and destruction of all devices on which the illegal images were found, aiming to prevent further distribution and access to such material. The case highlights the ongoing efforts of law enforcement and judicial authorities to combat the proliferation of child exploitation content and protect vulnerable victims from further harm.