Nigel Stephen Collins

A previously convicted child sex offender from Redcar has been sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison after police uncovered a substantial collection of indecent images of children on his computer.

Nigel Stephen Collins, 75, was subject to ongoing monitoring due to two prior convictions for similar offences. On an unannounced visit to his home, officers from Cleveland Police's Management of Sexual or Violent Offenders Unit (MOSOVO) checked his computer for compliance with court orders. They discovered nearly 850 images in the most serious category, indicating child abuse material that Collins had accessed despite restrictions.

Collins was arrested immediately following the discovery, interviewed, and charged with making indecent images of children. He was remanded in custody until his court appearance on Friday, January 24, 2025, at Teesside Crown Court, where he received his custodial sentence.

PC James Sexton of the MOSOVO unit commented: 'Collins is clearly still a dangerous individual with an enduring interest in making or accessing child abuse images. We work tirelessly to ensure everyone subject to restrictions and conditions are monitored so that any breaches like this are detected and dealt with. I’d like to thank my colleagues from the force’s Digital Forensic Unit for working so quickly on this case; their assistance ensured we were able to return a high-risk offender back to prison.' The case underscores the vigilance of police in managing high-risk offenders to prevent further harm.