SAMUEL WOOD FROM WALLINGFORD FACES COURT OVER CHILD PORNOGRAPHY IN OXFORD
| Red Rose Database
Wallingford Child Sexual Abuser
In March 2021, Samuel Wood, a 26-year-old resident of Green Lane, Wallingford, found himself at the center of a serious criminal case involving the possession of a vast collection of indecent images of children. The case unfolded in Oxford, where Wood appeared before the Crown Court to face charges related to his possession of over 2,000 such images, which included some of the most severe categories of child exploitation material.
During the proceedings, it was revealed that Wood had been caught with 90 images classified as Category A, the most severe category depicting penetrative sexual acts involving children. In addition, authorities discovered 378 images in Category B, which involved other forms of sexual activity, and a staggering 1,643 images in Category C, which primarily consisted of suggestive content such as nude photographs. These findings underscored the disturbing nature of the material he possessed.
Prosecutor Claire Langevad detailed the circumstances of the police search, explaining that officers executed a search warrant at Wood’s residence on the evening of May 28. During the search, they seized a computer, which contained the incriminating images, along with an iPhone X. The device revealed disturbing online searches related to child exploitation. Wood was promptly arrested and cooperated fully with authorities, admitting to the possession of the images, providing all his passwords, and acknowledging that many images had already been deleted. He also disclosed that he had begun seeking such material as early as 2016.
Investigators confirmed that the images depicted very young children, ranging from approximately two to 14 years old. The severity of the case was compounded by the nature of the content, which involved some of the most vulnerable victims.
During the hearing, Wood’s defense attorney, Kellie Enever, argued that the case had been improperly transferred to the Crown Court under the wrong legal statute. This procedural issue meant that the court was not authorized to impose a sentence at that time. Recorder Mukul Chawla QC acknowledged the frustration caused by this procedural error but stated that the case must be sent back to the Magistrates’ Court for proper processing before it can be resent to Oxford Crown Court for sentencing.
As the proceedings concluded, the judge informed Wood that he was free to leave the court, with the understanding that his case would be scheduled for a future hearing. The judge also remarked that Wood appeared to be apprehensive about the impending sentence, which was understandable given the gravity of the charges. It was also noted that at least two other similar cases had been postponed due to the same procedural issue, highlighting ongoing challenges in the legal process surrounding such serious offenses.
During the proceedings, it was revealed that Wood had been caught with 90 images classified as Category A, the most severe category depicting penetrative sexual acts involving children. In addition, authorities discovered 378 images in Category B, which involved other forms of sexual activity, and a staggering 1,643 images in Category C, which primarily consisted of suggestive content such as nude photographs. These findings underscored the disturbing nature of the material he possessed.
Prosecutor Claire Langevad detailed the circumstances of the police search, explaining that officers executed a search warrant at Wood’s residence on the evening of May 28. During the search, they seized a computer, which contained the incriminating images, along with an iPhone X. The device revealed disturbing online searches related to child exploitation. Wood was promptly arrested and cooperated fully with authorities, admitting to the possession of the images, providing all his passwords, and acknowledging that many images had already been deleted. He also disclosed that he had begun seeking such material as early as 2016.
Investigators confirmed that the images depicted very young children, ranging from approximately two to 14 years old. The severity of the case was compounded by the nature of the content, which involved some of the most vulnerable victims.
During the hearing, Wood’s defense attorney, Kellie Enever, argued that the case had been improperly transferred to the Crown Court under the wrong legal statute. This procedural issue meant that the court was not authorized to impose a sentence at that time. Recorder Mukul Chawla QC acknowledged the frustration caused by this procedural error but stated that the case must be sent back to the Magistrates’ Court for proper processing before it can be resent to Oxford Crown Court for sentencing.
As the proceedings concluded, the judge informed Wood that he was free to leave the court, with the understanding that his case would be scheduled for a future hearing. The judge also remarked that Wood appeared to be apprehensive about the impending sentence, which was understandable given the gravity of the charges. It was also noted that at least two other similar cases had been postponed due to the same procedural issue, highlighting ongoing challenges in the legal process surrounding such serious offenses.