Paedophile student collected almost 500 sick pictures and videos
A computing student who had almost 500 child sexual abuse images including two horrific videos of very young victims being assaulted has been sentenced to 12 months in prison suspended for two years.
Abid Miah, 21, from Fenham in Newcastle, admitted to three counts of making indecent images and was sentenced today at Newcastle Crown Court.
On 23 May 2020 National Crime Agency investigators arrested Miah at his home on suspicion of making, distributing and possessing indecent images of children. Officers searched his house and recovered Miah’s mobile phone, a memory stick, and a laptop.
Forensic examination found that the phone and laptop contained 493 indecent images of children.
177 category A images (the most serious)
157 category B
159 category C.
Many of the images were hidden in a secret album and an encrypted cloud storage app.
National Crime Agency investigators discovered two horrific category A videos: one of a four-year-old girl being sexually abused and another of another very young girl being tortured and sexually abused.
These videos were known to law enforcement and the children, who were abused abroad, were safeguarded.
After answering ‘no comment’ in interview and originally denying the offences Miah pleaded guilty in February this year.
Tracy Holbrook, NCA senior investigating officer added: “Miah tried to conceal his offending by using a fake email address and encrypted storage applications. Protecting children is one of the NCA’s biggest priorities and we will do everything we can to safeguard victims and stop offenders.”
Miah was also made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, made to forfeit his electronic devices and sent on a rehabilitation course.
Links to websites where you can access support:
Child protection charity The Lucy Faithfull Foundation runs the Stop It Now! helpline which offers confidential advice to anyone concerned about their own or someone else’s behaviour towards children.
Information and advice can be found on the Thinkuknow website. Links also include advice for parents, carers and professionals.