Kim Shawcross

A teenager from west Cornwall stockpiled a vast collection of indecent images of children, including category A videos of babies being raped, after being drawn into an online world of abuse. Kim Shawcross, now 19, of Tregeseal Row in Tregeseal, near St Just, was visited by Devon and Cornwall Police in 2024 after intelligence indicated that indecent images had been shared via Reddit, Snapchat and Discord.

Officers seized his electronic devices and discovered 538 category A images, 271 category B images and 293 category C images, totalling 1,102 indecent photographs and videos. Among the haul were videos showing the rape of infants as young as six months. Shawcross also possessed 60 extreme pornographic images and 16 prohibited images.

Forensic examination revealed that between May 5 and June 11, 2024, he attempted to upload and share seven category A images, four category B and nine category C images across the three platforms. In police interviews, Shawcross admitted the offences, which dated back to October 2023 for downloading and May to June 2024 for uploading.

At Truro Crown Court on June 5, his barrister said Shawcross had made “full, honest and frank” admissions and had “fully engaged with every agency available to address his problems” since his arrest. The court heard he was vulnerable and had been exploited by others into the abusive online world. The barrister added: “He was an impressionable youth who found it difficult to withdraw but when spoken to he was honest and remorseful. He has moved on in his life and is now in a stable environment and he’s fully engaged with the agencies who can support him.”

Recorder Charles Murray acknowledged Shawcross’s immaturity, genuine remorse, and efforts to rehabilitate, noting he had secured a university place and was in a stable relationship. However, the judge emphasised the seriousness of the offending, stating that had Shawcross been an adult he would have faced immediate imprisonment. Recorder Murray told him: “You have expressed genuine remorse and insight into your offending. You have worked very hard to address your behaviour.”

Shawcross was sentenced to a two-year community order, comprising 26 sessions of an accredited programme, 15 days of rehabilitation activity requirement, and 100 hours of unpaid work. He was also made subject to a sexual harm prevention order for five years and placed on the sex offenders’ register for the same period.