MATTHEW CLARK FROM TIVERTON AND EXETER CAUGHT WITH CHILD PORNOGRAPHY AFTER SEX OFFENDERS' COURSE

In an alarming case that has sent shockwaves through the communities of Tiverton and Exeter, Matthew Clark, a man with a troubling history related to child exploitation, has been convicted and sentenced for possessing indecent images of minors. Clark, now residing in Exeter after previously living in Tiverton, was found to be in possession of numerous illicit images shortly after completing a sex offenders' treatment program.

According to court records, Clark, aged 31, formerly of Popham Close, Tiverton, and more recently of Union Street, Newton Abbot, was subjected to a suspended sentence following an earlier conviction for sharing child abuse images via an online cloud service. Despite this, police investigations revealed that he continued to engage in illegal activities involving minors.

During a routine police check on his mobile device, officers from the public protection team discovered Clark’s iPhone contained 34 selfie-style images depicting naked boys aged between 14 and 17. The investigation further uncovered that Clark had an app for Grindr, a gay dating platform, on his phone. He claimed that he received the images from a contact he met through the app, which raised serious concerns about his ongoing involvement in illegal activities.

Clark admitted to three counts of possessing indecent images of children and two counts of breaching the terms of his sex offenders’ registration. The court heard that he had been under police surveillance since September 2013, when he received a suspended sentence for similar offenses. At that time, he was monitored under a sexual offences prevention order, and authorities had been actively tracking his online activities.

In March 2015, a police officer visited Clark’s residence and examined his phone, discovering the Grindr app and images that appeared to be taken by men using mirrors. Further analysis revealed that Clark possessed 34 images of boys aged 14 to 17, which he claimed had been sent to him by another man. The images included some of a highly disturbing nature, with some depicting extreme acts such as the rape of children as young as two years old.

Clark’s criminal history is extensive. He was initially caught in a national police operation targeting the distribution of child abuse images, during which he was found to have shared 222 indecent pictures or videos and stored over 4,000 more on his personal computers. His own legal representative described him as suffering from an addiction to such material, highlighting the severity of his case.

In sentencing, Judge Graham Cottle emphasized the gravity of Clark’s repeated offenses. He stated, “You undertook the Internet Sex Offenders’ Treatment programme. You obviously did not learn from that programme or learn enough from it. You committed identical offences in breach of a suspended sentence. It is unavoidable you must serve some of that sentence.” Clark was sentenced to a total of 12 months in prison.

Public concern has been heightened by Clark’s recent move from Tiverton to the outskirts of Uffculme, where he now resides close to families with young children. This relocation has caused distress among local parents, many of whom have expressed fears about the safety of their children. An anonymous parent from Uffculme described the situation as “soul destroying,” revealing that Clark’s residence is near pre-schools, primary, and secondary schools. The parent added, “There are pre-schools, a primary school and a secondary school close by so it is quite a big issue for parents – they are up in arms about it. We don’t want him near our children. It is absolutely soul-destroying. At the moment I am not letting mine out, which is ridiculous, and I can’t believe that man is allowed to live here.”

Reports indicate that Clark, who previously worked as a barman in Topsham, used online chat rooms and ‘drop boxes’ to distribute child abuse images and share passwords with other offenders. Despite his criminal record, police have stated that offenders “need to live somewhere,” and they encourage the public to report any suspicious activity. Authorities continue to monitor Clark’s case, emphasizing the importance of community vigilance in preventing further harm.