Darin Kolev

A man from the Portstewart area in Northern Ireland has been jailed for child pornography offences after authorities discovered a vast collection of indecent images on his electronic devices.

Darin Kolev, aged 46, appeared at Antrim Crown Court on Thursday, 14 December 2023, where he was sentenced to a total of two years' imprisonment for making and possessing indecent and prohibited images of children, as well as possession of extreme pornography. The court heard that the offences came to light following a targeted investigation by the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s Child Internet Protection Team.

Detective Inspector Richard Vasey from the Child Internet Protection Team explained the sequence of events: “A number of electronic devices were seized following a search of Mr Kolev's property, resulting in Mr Kolev being arrested and later charged for child abuse related offences.” The search uncovered over 17,000 indecent images of children stored on the devices, highlighting the scale of the material involved.

• Sentence: Two years, comprising six months in custody and one year and six months on licence.
• Registration: Placed on the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years.
• Prevention Order: Subject to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) for six years.
• Employment Restriction: Disqualified from working with children.

Detective Inspector Vasey emphasised the impact of such crimes, stating: “Behind each and every one of these images is a child who has suffered horrific abuse.” He further underscored the team's commitment: “We have specialist officers within the Child Internet Protection Team who are dedicated to investigating these crimes, bringing those responsible before the courts and ultimately protecting further vulnerable young people from unimaginable suffering. We will continue proactively targeting those people in our community who contribute to this cycle of abuse.”

The case, reported by the Coleraine Chronicle, serves as a stark reminder of ongoing efforts to combat child sexual exploitation through digital means. Kolev's sentencing reflects the judiciary's firm stance on offences that perpetuate harm to children.