VINCENT BARBARY FROM ABERTILLERY AND KIDWELLY CAUGHT WITH OVER 1,000 CHILD ABUSE IMAGES

In a case that has shocked the communities of Abertillery and Kidwelly, Vincent Barbary, a 61-year-old retired civil servant, was found in possession of a disturbing collection of indecent images of children, numbering over 1,000. The incident came to light after police executed a warrant at his residence on Water Street in Kidwelly on the morning of December 14 of the previous year. During the raid, officers from Dyfed-Powys Police’s high-tech unit seized a laptop and various electronic devices, which subsequently revealed a horrifying cache of illicit material.

Prosecutor Dean Pulling detailed that the police investigation uncovered a total of 1,060 images stored on a computer hard drive. Among these, 110 were classified as Category A, representing the most severe and extreme form of child exploitation images. An additional 102 images fell into Category B, while the remaining 848 were categorized as Category C. The disturbing content included photographs of children as young as four years old. The police also discovered 70 images depicting extreme pornography involving animals and adults, which Barbary claimed he believed were not illegal, a statement that added to the gravity of his offenses.

During police interviews, Barbary admitted that he had been viewing adult pornography online, which he said initially started as casual viewing but then “escalated” over time. He explained that he would download images and videos “a couple of times a week” after visiting various online chat forums. His defense attorney, John Allchurch, stated that Barbary was a retired civil servant who had moved from Leicester to his family home in Kidwelly approximately four years prior to the arrest. The move was motivated by his desire to care for a relative who was unwell. With more free time available in Carmarthenshire, Barbary reportedly began exploring adult content online, which eventually led to the viewing of illegal images involving children.

Allchurch emphasized that Barbary had expressed remorse after being interviewed by probation officers. His client now fully understood that viewing indecent images of children was “not a victimless crime” and acknowledged the harm caused to victims. He stated that if given the opportunity, Barbary would like to apologize directly to those affected.

Judge Keith Thomas addressed Barbary during sentencing, making it clear that the images and videos he had downloaded depicted real children being abused for the sexual gratification of others. Recognizing the seriousness of the offense, the judge sentenced Barbary to eight months in prison, suspended for 18 months. Additionally, Barbary was ordered to complete a rehabilitation course and was placed under a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, which restricts his access to the internet. He will also be required to register as a sex offender for the next ten years, reflecting the long-term nature of the legal consequences stemming from his actions.