Paedophile Jailed for Possessing Child Abuse Images

A 69-year-old man from Penarth has been sentenced to 18 months in prison after being found in possession of indecent images of children, including disturbing content involving a three-year-old girl.

James Hemmings, previously convicted of child sex offences in 2007 and 2017, pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images and breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

Police discovered an undisclosed iPad at Hemmings’ address containing 155 category A images, 108 category B images, and 713 category C images. The device also held computer-generated images of children.

Defence barrister Matthew Comer stated that Hemmings, a former RAF and prison guard, “accepts he has a sexual attraction to children which he is trying to overcome”.

Recorder John Philpotts, sentencing at Cardiff Crown Court, said the defendant had “still not learnt his lesson” and imposed a new 10-year SHPO alongside the prison term.