NEIL MAY FROM SALTFORD CAUGHT WITH 20,000 CHILD ABUSE IMAGES IN FBI INVESTIGATION

In a case that has shocked the community of Saltford, Neil May, a 67-year-old resident of Trenchard Road, was apprehended following a thorough investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the United States. The FBI's efforts led to the discovery that May had downloaded and stored an alarming collection of over 20,000 indecent images depicting children, including a disturbing photograph of a baby.

According to court proceedings at Bristol Crown Court, it was revealed that May's online activity had shifted from accessing adult pornography to viewing and possessing images of child abuse. The investigation uncovered that May had been involved in this illicit activity over a span of several years, specifically between 2005 and 2013. The authorities found that his collection included 177 images and 24 movies classified at the highest level of abuse concern, alongside a staggering 20,313 images and 177 movies at a lower, yet still serious, 'erotic posing' level.

Prosecutor Stephanie Hayward detailed the severity of the case, emphasizing that many of the images involved young girls aged between six and thirteen years old. Disturbingly, among the collection was a photograph of a baby, highlighting the heinous nature of May's offenses.

Neil May was charged with 15 counts of making indecent images and one count of distributing such material. He pleaded guilty to all charges. Judge Graham Hume Jones sentenced May to four years in prison, citing the age of the victims and the duration of his offending as aggravating factors. The judge also ordered May to register as a sex offender for life and prohibited him from working with children in any capacity.

Furthermore, May was subjected to an indefinite Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO), which restricts him from having any unsupervised contact with minors. The court's measures aim to prevent any future harm and to monitor his activities closely.

During the proceedings, Stephanie Hayward highlighted that May's collection included 177 images and 24 movies at the highest concern level, with the majority of his collection consisting of images of young girls. The court was told that May had volunteered for work to address his issues even before being formally interviewed or charged, indicating some level of remorse or recognition of his problematic behavior.

Andrew Banks, representing May, explained that the police investigation began in May of the previous year. He described how police visited May's home, conducted a search, and confiscated his computer equipment. Banks noted that May was interviewed approximately a year later, during which he admitted to being immersed in a world of his own and believed his actions to be victimless crimes. He acknowledged that he had been viewing child abuse images online for several years and did not deny his involvement, suggesting an awareness of his pattern of behavior and the likelihood of further images being discovered.