A paedophile was brought to justice after boasting in online chats that he had sexually abused young girls, Lincoln Crown Court was told.
Callum Reynolds attracted the attention of police as a result of the comments he made to a sex offender which led to officers turning up at his home.
Reynolds was arrested and both his laptop and mobile phone were checked out by police.
The subsequent investigation revealed he had been sending and receiving indecent videos of children being abused.
He was also found to have secretly filmed a 16-year-old girl performing a sex act. The victim had no idea that Reynolds had filmed her and then saved it.
Callum Reynolds, 24, of Prince Alfred Avenue, Skegness, was jailed for a total of three years and three months. He was also placed on the sex offenders’ register for life and given an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.
He admitted three charges of distributing a total of 18 indecent images of children; six charges of making a total of 335 indecent images of children; production of indecent images of a child; attempted sexual communication with a child; attempting to cause a child to watch a sexual act; and possession of extreme pornography.
The offences began when Reynolds was 15 and continued until his arrest in February 2019.
Recorder Graham Huston, passing sentence, told him: “The damage you have caused is immeasurable.
“Your participation in the paedophile group was seen by you as making friends, but the fact is that you chose a predatory paedophile group and their common intent was the sexual abuse of children.”
Eunice Opare-Addo, prosecuting, said: “Police were informed about a chat between a sex offender and this defendant. This led to the defendant being arrested and questioned in relation to sexual assaults.
“That led to the girls being spoken to and they confirmed there were no offences that had been committed.
“During the investigation the defendants laptop and mobile phone were seized. These devices were examined and it was revealed that indecent images of children had been sent and videos were also sent and received.”
A total of 173 of the indecent images found on Reynolds’ laptop and mobile were videos.
The court was told that Reynolds had no previous convictions.
Sunil Khanna, in mitigation, said Reynolds was bullied at school because of his weight and had become very isolated.
“He sought solace on the internet in chatrooms. He began accessing pornographic images. When he was 15 he was looking for girls around that age group but he developed that into younger and younger children.
“He became so immersed in this that it almost became normal to him.
“He has suffered from anxiety and depression throughout his life. He simply wants to start afresh.
“He is now older. He talks about being disgusted with himself. He says he has stopped looking at these sort of images.”
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We are investigating following a house fire where a man has sadly died.
Officers were called to the incident in Farrow Road, Spalding, at 1.03am today (7 August) following reports of what was described as an explosion. The property has suffered 100% damage.
Despite the best efforts of emergency services and members of the public who offered assistance, a man in his 50’s was sadly pronounced dead at the scene.
His next of kin have been informed.
Another man who is thought to have been passing by the property and offered his help suffered burn injuries and is currently receiving treatment.
The cause of the fire is under investigation, and we are keeping an open mind as experts from Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Service investigate today. We would encourage people not to speculate while we investigate the cause.
Officers will remain in the area for the next few days carrying out enquiries.
Anyone who saw or heard anything, or captured the incident on doorbell camera or dashcam is asked to contact us. There are a number of ways to get in touch:
You can call us on 101 quoting incident number 43 of 7 August.
You can email: [email protected] incident number 43 of 7 August in the subject line.
If you wish to remain anonymous, you can call CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111 or you can give information anonymously online
Lincolnshire 30 Under 30, The Lincolnite‘s showcase of young up and coming talent and high achievers, is open for nominations.
Thanks to our sponsors, Sparkhouse, Ringrose Law, Streets Chartered Accountants, Lincoln College and The Strait & Narrow, publishers Stonebow Media are organising the celebration of Lincolnshire’s promising talent for this autumn.
In 2021 we received almost 200 nominations for our county’s rising stars and and we’re seeking those who have shone over the past twelve months from entrepreneurs, to athletes, artists and rapidly developing professionals.
We’re looking to hear from inspirational young achievers from all backgrounds and professional fields. You can nominate yourself, or someone you know personally or professionally who is making our county proud.
Nominations are open for people from across Greater Lincolnshire (from the Humber to the Wash), either living or working in our region (and beyond!)
Entries close on September 9. A reception event is scheduled for Thursday, November 10, at the Lincoln Cathedral Chapterhouse. Check out the 2021 celebration.
Why this matters
The Lincolnite’s 30 Under 30 showcase is a celebration of the best and brightest in Lincolnshire, putting our young talent on the map regionally and nationally.
Stonebow Media’s platform and channels reach unparalleled audiences, opening up further opportunities and recognition for those involved.