Retired civil servant sent 'shocking' child sexual images to others

Police executed a warrant at the Sprowston home of Clive Newstead, 72, and seized computer equipment.

Norwich Crown Court said it came after Norfolk Police’s Safeguarding Children Online Team (Scolt) found he had been involved in the making and distribution of indecent images of children.

Hugh Vass, prosecuting, said police found 56 category A images - the most serious.

They also found 51 category B images and more than 100 category C images.

Mr Vass said the illicit images of children were of an explicit nature but accepted there was nothing to suggest he actually “acted out these fantasies”.

But he said the images were found to have been shared with “other people who share his obsession”.

Mr Vass said Newstead was arrested and made full admissions stating that his wife had “no involvement in what he was up to”.

Newstead, of Blenheim Close appeared for sentence on Wednesday, March 31 having previously admitted three offences of distribution of indecent images of children on or up to November 2018.

He had also admitted three counts of making such images.

Judge Anthony Bate described the images as “abhorrent and shocking” but accepted there were mitigating features in the case, which meant he could “reign back from immediate custody today”.

Newstead was given a 16-month sentence, suspended for two years.

He was ordered to undertake 40 days Rehabilitation Activity Requirement (RAR) and put on the sex offenders register for 10 years.

He was also made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) for 10 years.

Andrew Thompson, mitigating, said there were guilty pleas at a “very early stage” by the defendant followed by comprehensive admissions in his interview.

He said Newstead, who is 72, was not just of previous good character, but exemplary good character.

Mr Thompson said both the defendant’s wife and son, who is a quadriplegic, would suffer from him being sent to prison.