SHANNAN VICARY FROM NEWPORT SENTENCED FOR CHILD ABUSE PLOT IN NEWPORT AND CARDIFF
In June 2021, a disturbing case emerged involving a woman from Newport who was convicted and sentenced for her role in facilitating the sexual abuse of a young girl.Shannan Vicary, aged 25, was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison after it was established that she actively helped her then-boyfriend, a known paedophile, in their sinister plan to find a toddler for his abuse.
According to court proceedings, Vicary clandestinely coordinated with her partner, Michael Colmer, to ensure they could be alone with the child, enabling him to carry out his heinous acts.
The court heard that Vicary was ‘anxious to assist’ Colmer and encouraged him through a series of WhatsApp messages, which revealed her active involvement in the criminal scheme.
Her cooperation was instrumental in setting the stage for the abuse, with her messaging indicating her eagerness to facilitate the situation.
Colmer, aged 46 and also from Newport, was caught on camera filming two separate assaults on his iPad.
His arrest followed a police investigation that uncovered his access to child pornography websites on his computer.
Prosecutor Matthew Cobbe detailed that Vicary ‘facilitated’ Colmer’s actions and pointed out that the couple exchanged messages in which they expressed anticipation of abusing the child.
These messages reportedly began with comments about children in school uniforms, which then devolved into sexually explicit content.
Further evidence revealed that Colmer sent Vicary a graphic image of his genitals and discussed their plans for the following day.
Police raided Colmer’s residence after the National Crime Agency traced an email address associated with his devices to access indecent images.
During questioning, Colmer admitted that he possessed over 600 images of child abuse, including many of children under 18 months old, stored across his phone and iPad.
The victim’s mother provided a heartfelt statement, expressing her devastation and feelings of guilt.
She said, “What has happened has significantly affected me.
I feel like a bad parent because I did not know what was going on and could not protect my daughter.
I do not understand why these persons did what they did to my daughter.
I hope they are never in a position to do this to anyone else.
This has devastated me and my family.” Colmer pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including sexual assault, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, and possession of indecent images of children.
Vicary admitted to arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sex offence.
Judge David Wynn Morgan sentenced Vicary to seven and a half years, emphasizing her role in aiding Colmer’s criminal activities.
The judge remarked, “You may not have been interested in young children yourself, but you clearly assisted Colmer in the gratification of his sexual desires.” Colmer had previously been sentenced to 17 years and four months in prison for his crimes, with the court describing him as a “truly despicable human being.” Judge Morgan further stated, “This case reveals behaviour by both you and Vicary of an almost unimaginable level of depravity.
No one can fully assess the damage inflicted on the victim, but the harm to her mother is enormous.
You pose a significant risk of danger to young children.”
