BRIDGEND CHILD ABUSE PERVERT STEVEN KING SENTENCED IN COURT

In a case that has shocked the community of Bridgend, Steven King, aged 50, faced a court hearing after being found in possession of a disturbing collection of indecent images depicting children. The investigation revealed that King’s digital devices, including his laptop and disks, contained over 800 illicit images, some of which featured children as young as three years old.

Authorities uncovered that over a span of three years, King had actively searched for disturbing terms such as “little boy in the bath” and “boy nude scenes,” indicating a premeditated interest in child exploitation. The case came to light following an international operation involving Canadian police, who traced King’s online activity. They discovered him logging onto websites based in Canada and subsequently shared his details with British law enforcement agencies.

During the court proceedings, King admitted to three counts of possessing indecent images. The first charge involved 179 images classified as Category A, representing the most severe level of abuse. The second charge covered 120 images categorized as Category B, while the third involved more than 500 images classified as Category C, which is considered the lowest level of severity in police classification systems.

Representing King, Huw Evans requested that the court consider a sentence that would allow his client to access counseling and psychological support. Evans highlighted that King was a man who had led a trouble-free life until now, but had experienced a traumatic upbringing, witnessing his mother being assaulted. He explained that King had become emotionally attached to his mother, who was suffering from serious health issues and was confined to her home. Both King and his mother were described as being isolated, with King caring for her daily in a restricted environment.

Evans further explained that King had struggled with his sexuality and that his only companionship was his computer. He emphasized that the greatest punishment for King was the emotional burden of confessing his crimes to his mother, whom he described as his “devoted” caregiver.

When delivering his judgment, Recorder Peter Griffiths QC initially considered sending King to prison upon reviewing the case details. However, he acknowledged the mitigating factors presented, including testimonials that portrayed King as “basically a decent and caring person.” The judge also recognized the importance of considering the harm caused to the victims—the children depicted in the images.

Ultimately, Recorder Griffiths imposed a three-year community order on King. As part of this sentence, King will be required to participate in a sex offender treatment program. The judge expressed hope that this order would serve both as a form of rehabilitation for King and as a measure to protect society from further harm.