August 2016

Predatory paedophile jailed for sexually abusing infant children

A “prolific” Somerset paedophile has been jailed for more than 13 years for multiple sickening offences against children as young as three-years-old.

Joseph Hastings, 29, from Clevedon, North Somerset, admitted a raft of offences including:

• 15 counts of sexual activity with a child

• 2 counts of taking indecent photos of children

• 1 count of distributing indecent photos of children

• 3 counts of possessing indecent material.

The victims were aged between three and six when Hastings abused them between 2011 and 2013. He was arrested after sending indecent images online to undercover police officers.

In addition to his 13 year and eight month prison term, he was also placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register during sentencing at Bristol Crown Court today (August 12).

Geoffrey Colvin from the Internet Child Abuse Team said: “Hastings is a prolific and predatory paedophile who has abused the trust of his young victims for his own vile sexual gratification.