NICHOLAS WHITSED FROM WESTCLIFF SENTENCED FOR CHILD INDECENCY IMAGES

In March 2021, a disturbing case emerged involving Nicholas Whitsed, a resident of Westcliff, who was found to possess an alarming collection of indecent images of children on his electronic devices. The case drew significant attention due to the nature and volume of the material discovered.

Whitsed, aged 37 and residing on Avenue Road in Westcliff, became the subject of a police raid on March 6, 2019. During this operation, authorities seized multiple electronic devices from his home. An examination of two of these devices revealed troubling content: one contained a single Category C indecent image, which is considered the least severe form of such material, while another held three Category B images. Most distressingly, a total of 747 images classified as Category C were also found, many of which depicted young girls, some of whom appeared to be under the age of five.

Further investigation uncovered that Whitsed had employed encrypted software on his computers, indicating an attempt to conceal his activities. It was established that he had been seeking out this type of material over an extended period, with search terms such as “pre-teen” clearly indicating his focus on very young children. The authorities confirmed that the images were not fabricated or simulated; they were genuine photographs of children who had been coerced or persuaded into taking these pictures, highlighting the grave seriousness of the offense.

At Basildon Crown Court, Whitsed admitted to two counts of making indecent images of a child. During the hearing, he was dressed in a dark navy suit and wore a face mask, maintaining a subdued appearance. Judge Ian Graham addressed the court, emphasizing the severity of the crimes. He pointed out that some of the images involved “very young” girls and stressed that the offenses were not victimless. The judge remarked, “These were all young girls, some very young indeed, and it was clear from the records traced from computers that you had deliberately sought out these images over a period of time. There were search words such as ‘pre-teen’.”

Judge Graham further explained the gravity of the situation, stating, “The reason these offences are so serious is because these are not just fantasies or made-up images. They are real pictures of real children. They have been forced or persuaded to take these photographs.”

In sentencing, the judge imposed a two-year community order on Whitsed. This included 60 days of rehabilitation programs and 60 hours of unpaid work. The court also issued a stern warning that should Whitsed commit any further offenses or fail to complete the required work, he would be brought back before the courts for additional sentencing.