MATHEW KINGSTON FROM SOUTH MOLTON CAUGHT WITH 15,000 CHILD ABUSE IMAGES IN SHOCKING CRIME

In a disturbing case that has sent shockwaves through the community of South Molton, a man named Mathew Kingston has been found guilty of possessing a vast collection of illegal and highly disturbing images involving children. The incident came to light after police executed a search warrant at Kingston's residence on November 28 of the previous year, leading to the seizure of his custom-built computer, which contained a staggering number of illicit materials.

Kingston, aged 34 and residing on West End Terrace in South Molton, was discovered to have downloaded over 15,000 child abuse images from the internet onto his personal computer. The images were classified into different categories based on their severity, with the majority falling into the lowest category. However, the collection also included more disturbing content, such as a three-hour video depicting a 14-year-old engaging in sexual acts with an adult. Additionally, police found a second video showing partially clothed girls aged between ten and twelve engaging in sexually inappropriate behavior. Among the most heinous items was an image depicting an adult woman having sex with a dog.

Kingston, who appeared before Exeter Crown Court, admitted to three counts of making indecent images and one count of possessing an extreme image. His plea was accepted, and he faced sentencing for these serious offenses. The court heard that Kingston's actions involved downloading and storing these illegal materials during a period when he was not employed and was socially isolated, which may have contributed to his behavior.

Judge Geoffrey Mercer, QC, presided over the case and issued a series of orders aimed at monitoring and rehabilitating Kingston. He was instructed to attend the Horizon sex offenders' rehabilitation program run by the probation service and to complete ten days of additional rehabilitation activities. Furthermore, Kingston was ordered to sign the sex offenders' register for a period of five years, ensuring ongoing legal oversight of his activities. A Sexual Harm Prevention Order was also imposed, granting police the authority to monitor his online activity for the same duration to prevent any future offenses.

During sentencing, Judge Mercer emphasized the gravity of the offense, stating, “It is a serious offence to download material which involves the exploitation of children. You would be at risk of going to prison today but for your good character. If anything like this happens again, you will go to prison.” The judge’s remarks underscored the severity with which the court views such crimes and the importance of safeguarding children from exploitation.

Prosecutor Mr. William Hunter detailed the police operation, explaining that the raid uncovered one Category A and one Category B movie, along with 15,250 images classified as Category C. Most of these images had been deleted, but police recovered the majority of the illicit material from Kingston’s computer. The images predominantly depicted girls aged between 12 and 14, although Kingston claimed he believed they were aged 14 to 15, highlighting the disturbing nature of his collection and the potential risk posed to children and the community at large.