MARK RADWAY SHOCKS NAILSEA AND TIDWORTH WITH CHILD PORNOGRAPHY SCANDAL

In a disturbing case that has sent shockwaves through the military and local communities, Lieutenant Colonel Mark Radway, a serving officer with ties to both Nailsea in Somerset and Tidworth in Wiltshire, has admitted to a series of serious offences involving the exploitation of children through covert filming.

Radway, aged 43, was found to have engaged in secretive and illegal activities over a period spanning nearly two years, from January 2011 to November 2012, while based at Tidworth Barracks in Wiltshire. His actions included sneaking photographs of children in swimming pool changing rooms and supermarkets, using his mobile phone concealed at the bottom of shopping baskets to capture upskirt images without the knowledge or consent of the victims.

Further investigations revealed that Radway had also targeted children in swimming pools, spying on them in changing areas and subsequently creating videos from the images he had secretly taken. These illicit videos were then uploaded to online film-sharing platforms, where Radway’s fellow voyeuristic viewers could access and view them. Radway himself admitted to police that he derived a sense of satisfaction from the positive feedback he received on these sites, describing it as a feeling of 'feeling good.'

When confronted by authorities, Radway maintained that he was 'a lovely man' and insisted that he had no sexual interest in children. However, the evidence presented in court painted a different picture, revealing a pattern of disturbing behavior. Prosecutor Mike Collins explained that Radway’s actions began as a thrill-seeking game, driven by the adrenaline rush of risk-taking. He detailed how Radway had made videos of children in changing rooms and uploaded them online, with some footage capturing females at random when his camera was with him. Radway could not explain why he uploaded these images but admitted that the positive feedback he received made him feel good, which encouraged him to take more photographs, including upskirt images.

Radway’s guilty conscience eventually led him to dispose of some of his equipment, taking various cameras to a skip. Despite his claims of no sexual interest in children and previous good character, the court was told that his actions were deeply troubling and illegal. Radway, who currently resides in Nailsea, Somerset, was apprehended after the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre identified his username on the film-sharing website. Authorities seized his computer, and Radway subsequently gave a full confession to the police.

He pleaded guilty to six counts of taking indecent photographs of a girl, six counts of distributing such images, and four counts of making indecent images of a child. His defense lawyer, Reuben Scott, acknowledged the profound impact the case had on Radway and his family, stating that Radway wished to take responsibility for his actions and had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity. Radway was released on conditional bail and is scheduled to be sentenced at Bristol Crown Court on May 20.

The Ministry of Defence confirmed that Radway remains a serving officer pending the outcome of the legal proceedings, although they declined to specify which regiment he is affiliated with. The case has raised serious concerns about the conduct of military personnel and the safeguarding of children, prompting calls for strict disciplinary measures and further investigation into Radway’s activities.