PINKY CAINE AND SHOCKING CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CASE IN HOLSWORTHY

A man identified as Pinky Caine, aged 31, from Holsworthy, has been found in possession of an alarmingly large collection of indecent images of children, a discovery that overwhelmed investigators to the point where they reportedly 'gave up counting' the number of illegal files on his devices. Despite the severity of the case, Caine was ultimately spared immediate imprisonment.

During court proceedings at Plymouth Crown Court, it was revealed that Caine possessed nearly 4,000 explicitly illegal images on his electronic devices. In addition, there were approximately 22,000 other images that had not yet been classified, raising serious concerns about the extent of his illicit material. It was also disclosed that Caine maintained a secret mobile phone, which he used to hide his internet activity, boasting about his efforts to conceal his browsing history from law enforcement authorities.

Caine’s criminal record included a previous conviction for similar offences, and he was found to be in breach of a suspended sentence imposed for those earlier crimes. Despite this, the court considered his case carefully, especially noting that it had been more than two years since his last offence and that he had taken steps to address his problematic behavior.

In a significant move, Caine’s family had invested their savings to pay privately for psychiatric treatment at The Priory, a renowned London hospital known for treating high-profile clients, in an effort to help him manage his issues.

Judge William Mousley, presiding over the case, handed down a new suspended sentence, emphasizing the rare opportunity for rehabilitation. He stated, “You have been given a huge chance on this occasion. You have come as close as it is possible to get to going straight to prison. I am prepared to accept that you do not constitute an immediate risk of harm to the public. There are still hopes of your rehabilitation through work which is ongoing.”

The court acknowledged that among the nearly 22,000 images found on Caine’s devices, most were in the lowest category of illegality. However, there were 12 files classified as Category A, which included videos and images depicting adults abusing children, a particularly disturbing aspect of the case.

Caine, who resides on St Johns Terrace in Totnes, pleaded guilty in 2018 to four counts of possessing indecent images of children. The police investigation uncovered these files during searches in May and December of that year. The images ranged from the least severe to the most serious, with the Category A files being the most troubling.

Further complicating his legal situation, Caine was found to have violated a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) by possessing a mobile phone capable of internet access that he had not declared to authorities. This order was originally issued after his conviction in July 2017 for making indecent images of children, for which he received a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.

Ian Graham, representing the Crown Prosecution Service, explained that police had discovered indecent images on Caine’s devices during searches in 2018. He also revealed that during a group counselling session in August 2018, Caine admitted to still viewing such images, stating that he was actively “covering his tracks” and was not worried about police detection at that time.

Caine’s defense attorney, Lee Bremridge, argued that his client had shown genuine remorse and had pleaded guilty early in the proceedings. He pointed out the significant delay in the case, noting that Caine had only appeared in court in September of the previous year. Mr. Bremridge also highlighted that Caine had used the intervening period to work on his issues, including reducing his alcohol consumption, independently seeking help.

In light of these factors, Judge Mousley imposed a new nine-month prison sentence, but this was suspended for two years. Additionally, Caine was ordered to undergo six months of alcohol treatment and complete 35 days of intensive probation through the Rehabilitation Activity Requirement. He was also fined £1,000 for breaching his original suspended sentence.

As part of the court’s ruling, Caine’s electronic devices, including phones and computers, were ordered to be forfeited and destroyed, preventing further access to the illegal material. This case underscores the ongoing concerns surrounding the possession and distribution of child exploitation images, and the efforts of law enforcement to combat such heinous crimes in the Holsworthy area and beyond.