NIGEL YOUNG FROM SWANAGE CAUGHT WITH CHILD ABUSE IMAGES IN SHOCKING CASE

In a disturbing case that has sent ripples through the community of Swanage, Nigel Young, a 51-year-old former school caterer, was found to have downloaded and possessed highly disturbing and illegal images. The incident came to light after authorities uncovered his involvement with a Dropbox account that contained a collection of child abuse images, some of which depicted children around the age of 10 being subjected to abuse, alongside graphic images of an adult woman being harmed and acts of bestiality.

Young’s arrest was the result of an investigation by the National Crime Agency (NCA), which was prompted by intelligence received in November 2017. The NCA had identified a Cloud storage platform, specifically a Dropbox account, that was being used to store and share indecent images. The account was accessed by numerous users through a chatroom called Chat To Go, raising concerns about the distribution of such illegal content.

Further investigation revealed that Nigel Young had accessed this Dropbox account on nine separate occasions between June 4 and July 15, 2017. The authorities traced an IP address linked to Young, which confirmed his connection to the account. The NCA’s findings indicated that a total of 504 individuals worldwide had accessed this particular Dropbox, downloading indecent images, with 27 of those located within the United Kingdom.

During the court proceedings at Bournemouth Crown Court, prosecutor Stuart Ellacott detailed the extent of Young’s involvement. He admitted to possessing ten indecent images of children, two prohibited images, and two extreme pornographic images. The court heard that Young’s background included a lengthy service in the Army’s cadet corps, spanning 22 years.

Judge Peter Crabtree OBE delivered the sentence, which included a two-year community order, 100 hours of community service, and 60 days of rehabilitation activities. Additionally, Young is required to adhere to a sexual harm prevention order for a period of five years, aimed at preventing any future offenses and protecting the community from similar threats.