Caernarfon Crown Court (Image: Richard Iestyn Hughes / Alamy)
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A 39-year-old man who amassed more than 1,500 indecent images and videos of children – and appeared to have filmed himself engaging in sexual activity with a dog – has been given a suspended prison sentence.
Nathan Ellis, of Neptune Road, Tywyn, was handed 18 months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years, when he appeared at Caernarfon Crown Court on Thursday, April 30.
He had previously entered guilty pleas to two counts each of making indecent images in categories A, B and C, along with a seventh offence of possessing extreme pornography.
The investigation
The court heard that Ellis was detained at his home address in May 2023, after police received intelligence indicating he had uploaded indecent images of children to the messaging platform Kik.
A number of electronic devices were seized during the operation, including a Samsung mobile phone and an SD card, both of which were subjected to forensic examination.
What was found
Prosecutor Catherine Elvin outlined the sheer volume of material recovered. On Ellis’s phone, officers discovered 21 category A images – the most serious classification – alongside four category A videos, 12 category B images, 24 category C images with one accompanying video, and 29 extreme pornography videos.
The SD card yielded a significantly larger haul: 542 category A images and 193 videos, 371 category B images and 110 videos, and 167 category C images with 93 videos.
The children depicted in the material were estimated to be aged between one and 16.
Extreme pornography
The 29 extreme pornography videos found on Ellis’s phone depicted a male engaging in sexual intercourse with a dog, filmed in what appeared to be the defendant’s own bedroom. In further footage that was recovered, Ellis appeared to acknowledge that he had engaged in sexual activity with a dog.
Online activity
Ms Elvin told the court that chat logs revealed Ellis had discussed the sexual abuse of children in online conversations. He had also asked one individual for images of his daughter.
That person – who Ms Elvin said remains under police investigation – subsequently sent a child’s underwear to Ellis. The defendant then returned an image of himself with the underwear, positioned alongside his penis.
Defence arguments
Representing Ellis, Myles Wilson told the court his client had been residing in a mental health unit and had a “realistic prospect of rehabilitation”.
Mr Wilson said Ellis “would like to address this behaviour, and try to rebuild his life”.
He added that since the offences came to light, Ellis had been “shunned by his family and friends,” had lost his employment, had slept in his car, and had made attempts to take his own life.
The court was told Ellis had three previous convictions for four offences.
Sentencing
Judge Rhys Rowlands agreed to suspend the custodial term, though he noted this was “not without some misgivings”.
Ellis was directed to complete what the judge described as an “onerous” programme requirement, together with a drug rehabilitation plan.
He will be subject to sex offenders register notification requirements and a sexual harm prevention order, each lasting 10 years. He is also barred from working with children or vulnerable adults.
