Shane Silby, a 51-year-old man from Bransholme, Hull, found himself in serious trouble after police uncovered a cache of indecent images of children on his laptop. The case came to light when authorities received information indicating that indecent images were being downloaded from an IP address linked to a specific postal address in Hull. Acting on this intelligence, police obtained a search warrant and raided the property on 30 March 2023.
At the time, the regular occupant of the property was on holiday, and Silby was looking after it. Officers arrested him at his own home and seized a laptop during the search. Forensic examination revealed a disturbing collection of images, including 30 in the most serious Category A, 26 in Category B, and two in Category C. The images depicted children as young as three years old, highlighting the gravity of the offences.
During the investigation, it emerged that Silby had conducted an internet search for 'What do HM Prison cells look like?', suggesting he was aware of the potential consequences of his actions. In his police interview, Silby made no comment to all questions posed by officers. He has a criminal history of 11 previous convictions, though the most recent was in 1996 and none were of a similar nature.
Silby admitted to three counts of making indecent images of children, with the offences occurring on 30 March 2023. The case was heard at Hull Crown Court, where Ben Hammersley prosecuted and Holly Thompson provided mitigation on Silby's behalf. Thompson noted that Silby had worked for most of his life but had recently been unable to due to illness, and he had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.
Judge Tahir Khan KC addressed Silby directly, stating: 'You downloaded indecent images of children and you pleaded guilty at the first opportunity.' In sentencing, the judge imposed a 16-month prison sentence, suspended for an unspecified period, along with 25 days of rehabilitation activity. Additionally, Silby was made subject to a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and required to register as a sex offender for 10 years. Judge Khan warned: 'If you don't do what's required of you by the probation service, that will bring you back before the court and you may have to serve out the 16 months.'
The investigation was conducted by Humberside Police, who traced the illegal downloads to Silby's activities. This case underscores the ongoing efforts to combat online child sexual exploitation in the Hull and East Yorkshire area, as reported by Hull Live on 26 March 2025.