Sick Sheffield dad took pictures of himself sexually abusing his own children and planned to share them online

Addressing the defendant directly, Judge Graham Reeds KC told him: “The level of depravity and perversion displayed by you towards your own children over a significant period of time is truly exceptional.”

The name of the man, who is in his 30s, cannot be published due to a reporting restriction placed on the case to protect the identity of his children, who are entitled to lifelong anonymity.

Judge Reeds told Sheffield Crown Court that the man documented the sexual abuse of his young children through photographs, ‘probably’ as a ‘souvenir,’ and at the very least ‘intended to share images of the abuse online’.

“You told the probation officer that in your head what you were doing was getting the images other people in your group wanted to see. It follows that you had at least the idea that these images would be shared on the internet, even though the prosecution cannot prove that they were. That intended harm cannot be ignored,” Judge Reeds told the man.

He added: “These were more than just images of sexual abuse.”

“Whether actually shared or not, they were your personal record and to share with others, probably your souvenir, of what you had done to your children kept on your phone to come back to for your own enjoyment,” he added.

“That demonstrates this perversion on your part is deep-seated and increases the seriousness of your offending,” the judge said.

Referring to character references submitted on the man’s behalf, Judge Reeds said: “You kept this deviant side of your character well hidden from everyone else.”

Prosecuting barrister, Louise Reevell, said the man’s offending was exposed after the man uploaded a child abuse image of an unrelated child online, prompting South Yorkshire Police to obtain a warrant to search the man’s family home in Sheffield and a number of his devices were subsequently seized.

Speaking after the man was sentenced, DI Lee Wilson said: “It was only when his devices were seized and analysed that the true, horrifying scale of the offending came to light.”

DI Wilson said the full extent of the man’s actions were uncovered after the officer in charge of this investigation, DC Jessica Hawley, carried out ‘repeated and meticulous searches of his devices’.

“These searches uncovered hidden folders and files which could have quite easily gone unnoticed had it not been for DC Hawley’s instinct that there was more to this case,” said DI Wilson.

DI Wilson said the victims in the case were so young they were unable to assist police with the investigation, and the force’s work focused heavily on ‘comparing pictures of scenes and clothing in order to prove the identity of each victim and place the offender in every single image and video’.

The court heard that the man’s former-partner assisted police with the identification of the children pictured in the abuse photographs.

“It is testament to DC Hawley’s tenacity and dedication that she was able to build a case so strong, the offender had nowhere to hide, and no other option but to plead guilty,” DI Wilson said.

The defendant subsequently pleaded guilty to a total of 22 sex offences including rape of a child under 13, sexual activity with a child, sexual assault of a child and making indecent images of children, with the age of children pictured ranging from one to 14-years-old.

Defending, Sean Smith, referenced a letter the man sent to the court, and his pre-sentence report, through which, claimed Mr Smith, the man demonstrated his ‘shame, regret’ and took full responsibility for his actions.

Mr Smith said the man ‘accepts he will never be a part of his children’s life’.

“His life will, in fact, never be the same again, and rightly so, quite frankly,” Mr Smith added.

Judge Reeds sentenced the man to 18 years’ custody with an extended licence period of five years, due to the ‘grave danger’ he poses to children, bringing his total sentence to 23 years.

“You will serve at least two-thirds of the custodial element of 18 years. That means and you will not be entitled to be released until the parole board of first tier tribunal says it is safe to do so. You may not apply for release until you have served at least 12 years. You may serve the full 18 years. Whenever you are released it will be on licence, which will not expire until 23 years from today,” Judge Reeds told the man.

Judge Reeds granted indefinite sexual harm prevention and restraining orders, with the latter preventing him from contacting his children or their mother. The man was told he will also be placed on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely.

DI Wilson said of the sentence passed: “I would like to acknowledge the significant sentence passed by the judge today. Crimes like this have a lifelong impact on victims and their families and it is right that this is recognised by the courts. I only hope that those affected can begin to move forward.”