Gary Edwards

Gary Edwards, a 56-year-old man from New Waltham, was sentenced at Grimsby Crown Court for possessing indecent images of children and breaching his Sex Offender Registration order. This marked the second time he had been convicted of such offences, having previously appeared in court in 2023.

The case came to light when the National Crime Agency alerted Humberside Police to an email account linked to Edwards. Officers attended his home in New Waltham last year and seized a phone, which was found to contain scores of indecent images and videos of children, some classified at the most serious level. Edwards admitted to three counts of possession of these prohibited materials.

In addition, Edwards pleaded guilty to two offences of failing to comply with the restrictions of his Sex Offender Registration order. He did not notify police of his move from Cleethorpes to New Waltham within the required timeframe, being only nine days late according to his defence. Furthermore, in November, he failed to inform authorities that he had stayed at a home in Beverley where a person under 18 resided, breaching his notification requirements.

Edwards had been regularly attending Grimsby Police Station as part of his obligations under the Sex Offender Register. Following his arrest, he denied having any sexual attraction to children. His defence representative, Craig Lowe, noted that Edwards was of previous good character until the age of 51, when his offending began. Lowe stated that Edwards works full time and is keen to undergo counselling or therapy, recognising his need for help.

Prosecutor Billy Torbett outlined the details of the discoveries made on Edwards' device. Judge Richard Woolfall remarked during sentencing that Edwards was 'some way off acknowledging that he has a sexual interest in children'. The judge emphasised the impact of such crimes, stating: 'It perpetuates abuse of children. They are abused. It has a long-lasting impact on their lives.' He added that the court orders' restrictions are designed to prevent further offending.

For these offences, Judge Woolfall imposed a total custodial sentence of 18 months. Edwards was also made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for eight years, prohibiting him from working with individuals under 18. He will remain on the Sex Offenders Register for the next ten years. The case was reported by Grimsby Live on 31 March 2026.