YUEN HO NG AND MAIDSTONE CASE: FATHER AND SON SPARED JAIL FOR CHILD SEX ABUSE IMAGES

In April 2016, a father and son in Maidstone were spared immediate imprisonment after being found in possession of disturbing child abuse images, including animated content and videos. Eric Wai Keung Ng, 60, now residing in Strood, was arrested after police from Kent's paedophile online investigation team executed a search at their home in Coltsfoot Drive, Grove Green, on May 6 of the previous year. Authorities seized their computer equipment and discovered that Ng had downloaded a vast array of illegal images using file sharing software. Ng claimed he downloaded the images "accidentally" and grew curious afterwards, using the search term "PTHC" for pre-teen hardcore material. He admitted he left his computer on to download hundreds of images at once and acknowledged that the material excited him. Prosecutor Simon Sandford told Maidstone Crown Court, "He admitted they excited him. He also searched for videos of women having sex with animals. He said he knew it was illegal but was too curious to stop." Investigators found over 7,000 images and videos on Ng's hard drives, approximately 2,000 of which were categorized as the most serious type. Ng's son, Yeun Ho Ng, aged 30, was found to have collected more than 500 Japanese hentai images and an animated game titled ‘The Mystery of the Underage Girl,’ involving acts of rape against children. Ng admitted possessing prohibited images and an animated game involving child rape. Eric Wai Keung Ng pleaded guilty to making indecent images of children and possessing extreme pornography depicting women and dogs. He was sentenced to nine months in prison, suspended for two years, and ordered to complete 80 hours of unpaid work. Additionally, his name will be recorded on the sex offenders register for 10 years. Yeun Ho Ng received a two-year community order with 80 hours of unpaid work for possessing prohibited images, and his name will be on the register for five years. Both individuals were mandated to attend internet sex offender programmes and were prohibited from working with children or vulnerable adults. The court further noted that the family had moved to Laburnham Road, Strood, due to "adverse publicity." Recorder Cairns Nelson QC addressed Ng, saying, "You were found in possession of a bewildering array of disgusting material. This is shocking material. You, however, are 60 and of good character and pleaded guilty." To Yeun Ho Ng, the judge added, "I take the view I can avoid sending you to prison considering the remorse shown and the nature of the images." Previously, in March 2016, authorities also uncovered a large collection of animated child abuse images and a vile video game during a police search at the same residence. Ng, who now lives with his father at Laburnum Road, Strood, had downloaded more than 500 hentai images of minors and a game entitled ‘The Mystery of the Underage Girl,’ involving child rape, which he admitted possessing. Prosecutor Sarah Worsley highlighted that police seized hard drives containing more than 7,000 indecent images, sourced over five years, along with four movies depicting women engaging in sexual acts with dogs. Ng claimed he obtained the material by searching for terms like "pre-teen" and "hardcore" but insisted he was unaware that downloading the images involved sharing them with others, leading to seven counts of making indecent images of children and possession of bestiality films, all of which he admitted. The court noted the absence of strict sentencing guidelines, as only six similar cases have been prosecuted in the UK, with previous appeals rejecting longer jail terms. The images were classified as prohibited but not indecent, being animated. Both defendants were released on conditional bail, with restrictions on sole use of technology, internet access (except for gaming consoles), mobile phone use unless authorized by their employers, and unsupervised contact with children. They are scheduled to appear at Maidstone Crown Court for sentencing, pending pre-sentence reports.