Paedophile Irthlingborough teaching assistant spared jail

A paedophile who worked at Irthlingborough's Huxlow Science College has been spared jail after buying vile child abuse footage using Amazon vouchers.

Kevin Sheppard, 26, worked as a teaching assistant at the Finedon Road school and resigned the day after he was arrested in a National Crime Agency operation on June 1 last year.

Police raided his home in Broadway, Kettering, and seized an iPhone 8 and a Dell laptop which found a "catalogue" of sick files.

His phone had an app which contained 46 category A (the most severe) videos of child abuse, 19 category B videos, 35 category C videos and 100 category C images. His laptop contained 17 category B videos, seven category C videos and three category C images.

He sent a seller - who is the subject of another investigation - eight different Amazon vouchers for £365. He had specifically requested a video of a 15-year-old girl.

None of his sick offences were linked to the school.

Today (Wednesday) Northampton Crown Court heard some files were created as long ago as 2014 and were of youngsters estimated to be aged between 10 and 17.

Sheppard, now of Bracknell in Berkshire, admitted being sexually attracted to young girls and downloading and viewing the abuse when he was interviewed by police.

Prosecuting, Thomas Welshman said Sheppard said he had started downloading the images "out of curiosity".

He said: "He knew the images were of children and [that] it was wrong."

Sheppard, who was supported by a family member in the public gallery, pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children, between September 2014 and July 2019, one count of encouraging the distribution of indecent images of children, in July 2018, at Northampton Magistrates' Court in July.

Mitigating, Micaila Williams said Sheppard had distorted sexual thinking but that he was "clearly" an intelligent man, having studied for a master's degree.

She said: "He is someone who understands the impact of this offending...he is ashamed of his behaviour."

She added Sheppard had found the experience of being arrested "sobering" and urged Judge David Herbert QC to suspend any prison sentence he imposed so he could be rehabilitated.

She said: "He feels that that young man (who downloaded the images) was a different man from the man he is today."

After half an hour of deliberating Judge Herbert QC decided he could "just" suspend Sheppard's prison sentence for proper rehabilitation.

He said: "You provided the distributor with a ready market so they could peddle images and profit from them...I hope you understand the impact on these victims has been devastating."

Sheppard was jailed for 16 months, suspended for two years, and must take part in sex offender rehabilitation and complete 120 hours of unpaid work.

He was placed on the register for sex offenders for 10 years and will be subject to a sexual harm prevention order, restricting his use of the internet and devices.

Judge Herbert QC added: "I have given you a chance and I would urge you to take it."

Steve Gordon, principal of Huxlow Science College, said: “We are appalled to learn of the conduct of a former teaching assistant.

“The safety of all students at our school is our highest priority and we have stringent procedures in place which have been fully complied with.

“Immediately after his arrest, Mr Sheppard was no longer permitted to enter the school grounds and he resigned from his post.

“We are reassured that the NCA investigation confirmed that no students or school equipment were involved in any of the offences.”

Following the sentencing, a spokesman for the NSPCC said: “Sheppard’s actions and his horrific collection of images fuelled a depraved industry that trades on the suffering and pain of innocent children.

“To make it as difficult as possible for abusers to make and share this awful content the Government must push forward with the online harms bill. This will create a new regulator and give it the power to ensure a range of online platforms are making child protection a top priority.”

Anyone concerned about a child can call the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000, while children and young people can contact Childline free and confidentially on 0800 1111 or via www.childline.org.uk

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