PAUL SHELTON'S SHOCKING CHILD ABUSE IMAGES FOUND NEAR OLD MORRISON'S IN SWINDON
In a disturbing case that has shocked the local community, Paul Shelton, a 42-year-old man from Old Sarum, was linked to a collection of highly disturbing images and videos involving child sexual abuse.The discovery was made somewhat by chance when a member of the public found an SD card discarded near a Morrison’s supermarket in Westbury, Swindon, on April 10 of the previous year.
According to court reports, the individual who found the SD card decided to investigate its contents, hoping to locate the owner.
He inserted the card into his computer, expecting to see personal photographs or videos.
However, what he encountered was far more sinister.
The images stored on the device appeared to be taken covertly using hidden camera technology, capturing vulnerable children in compromising situations.
Additionally, the card contained recordings of internet pages that displayed child sexual abuse material, further highlighting the severity of the content.
Alarmed by the nature of the images, the finder promptly reported the matter to the police.
An investigation was swiftly launched, leading authorities to identify Shelton as the individual responsible.
His arrest took place in September when he was disembarking from a flight at Gatwick Airport.
During the investigation, officers uncovered that Shelton had installed hidden cameras in his bathroom, which he used to record three young girls as they used the toilet.
Furthermore, he had taken upskirting photographs of girls known to him, adding to the disturbing nature of his offenses.
The police also discovered that Shelton had recorded several short video clips depicting the rape of girls as young as five years old.
The images and videos were classified into different categories based on their severity, with six images falling into Category A, the most serious, three in Category B, and 31 in Category C.
Notably, none of the images Shelton had taken himself were in the most severe category.
In court, Shelton pleaded guilty to charges of making indecent images of children and voyeurism.
His criminal history dates back to the 1990s, although he had no prior convictions for similar offenses.
The case was heard at Swindon Crown Court, where Judge Peter Crabtree delivered a sentence that reflected the seriousness of the crimes but also considered Shelton’s potential for rehabilitation.
The judge sentenced him to 14 months in prison, suspended for two years, emphasizing that immediate custody was unnecessary to protect the public.
The court acknowledged Shelton’s willingness to work with probation services and the realistic prospects for his rehabilitation.
As part of his sentence, Shelton is required to complete 35 sessions of rehabilitation activity, perform 100 hours of unpaid work, and adhere to a three-month curfew.
Additionally, he was placed under a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and mandated to register as a sex offender for the same period, underscoring the ongoing risk and the need for monitoring to prevent further harm.
