Shotton Man Sentenced for ‘Repulsive’ Child Image Crimes

A 39-year-old man who took indecent photographs of an eleven-year-old girl and was later found with over 8,000 indecent images of children has been sentenced at Mold Crown Court today. ⚖️

Nicholas Cummins of Hafan Glyd, Shotton, was convicted of making indecent images of the girl and two boys, aged 17 and eleven. The court heard that when arrested in 2021, police discovered 8,190 images on his hard drive and USB drives, including 172 still pictures and 25 moving images in the most serious category A.

Officers found evidence that Cummins had searched for indecent images of children – mainly boys aged three to 14 but also of babies – between 2008 and 2021.

The female victim, now a young woman, condemned his “repulsive crime” in court, stating it had clouded her adolescence. She expressed fear that the images may resurface on the internet and revealed she struggles to be unclothed in front of her current partner and is an “overprotective and paranoid mother.”

His Honour Rhys Rowlands pointed out that Cummins had denied causing the eleven-year-old girl to engage in sexual activity and was only convicted by a jury after putting her through a trial. The judge stated: “You harbour very dark and unnatural attitudes towards young children.”

Despite being the main carer for his mother, the judge ruled that the need for punishment and public protection was paramount. Cummins was deemed a dangerous offender and sentenced to six years imprisonment with an extended period of 18 months on licence afterwards.

He must serve two-thirds of the custodial part of his sentence before being eligible to apply for parole. Concurrent 14-month sentences were imposed for making indecent images in categories A and C, with no separate penalty for the category B offence.