MALCOLM EVERARD FROM CRANWELL JAILED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY OFFENSES IN LINCOLN

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Cranwell, Malcolm Everard, a man with a long-standing military background, was sentenced to 15 months in prison after being found guilty of possessing and creating illegal images involving minors. The incident came to light in September 2016 when Everard’s secret activities were uncovered, leading to a police raid on his residence.

Everard, aged 66 and residing at Delhi Square in Cranwell, served nearly four decades in the Royal Air Force (RAF). His career spanned both active service and civilian roles, including time as a sergeant and later as a civilian driver. After retiring from the military, he worked as a neighborhood handyman in the Cranwell area and was also associated with Age UK, earning a reputation as a trusted member of the local community.

The case was initiated when a man, who was visiting Everard’s home to feed his cat while the latter was away on holiday, discovered a computer disk containing illicit photographs. This discovery prompted the man to contact the police, leading to a detailed investigation. Authorities executed a search warrant at Everard’s residence, where they uncovered a disturbing collection of illegal images. The police found not only photographs Everard had taken himself but also more than 500 child pornography images that he had downloaded onto his laptop.

During police interviews, Everard admitted to having an interest in naturism but denied any sexual interest in children. However, the evidence against him was overwhelming. He pleaded guilty to two charges of taking indecent images of children and three additional charges related to the possession of a total of 593 indecent images. These illegal images were produced over a period stretching from November 2011 to April 2014.

Prosecutor Sunil Khanna highlighted that Everard had no prior criminal convictions, emphasizing his otherwise clean record. Despite this, the severity of the offenses was clear, and the court was told that such crimes warranted a custodial sentence. The defense argued that Everard’s actions were out of character and that he had shown remorse for his conduct.

In sentencing, Judge Michael Heath made it clear that the nature of the crimes was profoundly serious. He stated, “You plainly have a sexual interest in children otherwise you wouldn’t have done what you did. You were downloading this material over a period of two and a half years.” The judge also acknowledged the social consequences for Everard, noting that he had been ostracized by his neighbors and had lost his active social life. Despite his previous reputation as a helpful and trusted community member, the judge emphasized that the gravity of the offenses justified a custodial sentence, which was ultimately handed down.

This case underscores the ongoing concerns about child exploitation and the importance of vigilant law enforcement in protecting vulnerable individuals from such heinous crimes.