A convicted paedophile in Wales was discovered in possession of disturbing images on an iPad, including graphic content of a three-year-old girl being raped. James Hemmings, aged 69 and residing in Penarth, was found with child abuse images depicting children as young as three years old, despite being subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).
Hemmings had a history of convictions, including assault by penetration of a child under 13, indecent assault, and possession of indecent images. In 2007, he was convicted, and in 2017, he received a jail sentence for possessing indecent images of children, leading to the imposition of a SHPO. Despite these legal restrictions, Hemmings was caught with a significant number of indecent images on his iPad.
During a sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court, it was revealed that Hemmings had 155 category A images, 108 category B images, and 713 category C images on his device. The most disturbing find was an image showing a three-year-old girl being raped by an adult man, along with computer-generated images of children.
Hemmings pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images and breaching his SHPO. In his defence, his barrister mentioned Hemmings’ past work in the RAF and as a prison guard, as well as his presence in the church community. However, the judge, Recorder John Philpotts, noted that Hemmings had not learned from his previous convictions and sentenced him to 18 months in prison. Additionally, a new 10-year SHPO was imposed on Hemmings to prevent further harm.
The case serves as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by individuals who engage in such criminal behaviour and highlights the importance of law enforcement in protecting vulnerable individuals, especially children, from such reprehensible acts.