NICK SALTERN CAUGHT IN IVYBRIDGE WITH CHILD AND ANIMAL ABUSE IMAGES

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Ivybridge, a man named Nick Saltern was found in possession of highly illegal and disturbing images depicting child abuse and animal cruelty. The incident came to light after police investigations revealed that Saltern, aged 35, had downloaded a significant number of indecent images, including some classified as extreme pornography.

The court heard that Saltern was found with 35 indecent images of children, which were categorized into different levels of severity, as well as three images of extreme pornography. Among these was a particularly heinous image showing a person engaging in sexual acts with a small dog, a detail that added to the gravity of his offenses.

The case was brought before Plymouth Crown Court, where the judge, Robert Linford, addressed the seriousness of the crimes. He emphasized that these images are not mere digital files floating in cyberspace but are representations of real suffering. Judge Linford stated, “It is extremely important that you understand that these images just don’t exist in the ether. The material you viewed are real children being sexually attacked. It is not being created in a film studio. These are little girls being sexually brutalized.”

He further explained that such offenses are considered very serious and typically warrant a custodial sentence. However, in Saltern’s case, the judge decided to impose a community order, partly due to the unusually long delay in bringing the case to court. Saltern was arrested in August 2017, but despite confessing immediately, he did not appear before magistrates until this month, a delay Judge Linford described as “astonishing.”

Saltern, who resides on Luscombe Close in Ivybridge, pleaded guilty to three counts of possessing indecent images of children, categorized as A, B, and C, which denote increasing levels of severity. He also admitted to possessing three images of extreme pornography, which depict acts of significant brutality and harm.

Prosecutor Nigel Hall from the Crown Prosecution Service explained that police traced Saltern’s IP address through a peer-to-peer file-sharing site that was distributing indecent images of children. Following this discovery, authorities conducted a search of his home in August 2017.

As part of his sentence, Saltern was given an 18-month community order, which includes 35 days of intensive probation supervision. He was also ordered to pay £250 in prosecution costs. Additionally, he received a five-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order, granting police enhanced powers to monitor his internet activity. Furthermore, Saltern is required to sign the Sex Offender Register for a period of two years, marking the ongoing legal restrictions placed upon him due to the severity of his offenses.