A serving Civil Nuclear Constabulary constable who amassed a library of more than 18,000 images showing the sexual abuse of young children has been jailed.
Shaun Mandale, 45, used an online cloud storage platform to access abuse material showing victims including babies, including a newborn, during a 17-month period of offending.
Carlisle Crown Court heard today how Mandale deployed a variety of methods including the use of virtual private networks and privacy browsers to conceal both his identity and illegal activities. These came to light on January 10 when police officers, acting on information received, went to his home at dawn
Officers seized several mobile phones, laptop computers and media storage devices which were examined. Mandale was not arrested at the time as his family were in COVID-19 self-isolation.
Along with a privacy browser, a data erasing app — deemed capable of deleting files and making them irretrievable — was also found. Chats were also discovered which indicated that SM was “into young”.
Innocent family photographs along with pictures of Mandale were in among the child sex abuse material.
A total of 7,886 images in category A — the most serious — were found along with 2,597 in category B and 7,651 in category C. “The description of images is far too distressing to read in open court,” said prosecutor Gerard Rogerson.
In addition, 96 extreme pornographic images involving animals and 52 prohibited images of children — CGI pictures depicting abuse — were located.
Mandale admitted six charges relating to making and possession of the imagery.
Brendan Burke, defending, said the offending had had a “devastating” impact on Mandale’s life, including the loss of his wife.
A man of previous good character, he had carried out charity work in he past, latterly become abstinent from drugs and alcohol, and taken recent steps to address his criminal conduct. There was contrition, said Mr Burke, and “more importantly, self-awareness which is vital if one is considering future risk”.
Judge Ian Unsworth KC said there were multiple aggravating factors in the case but he also took into account mitigation, that the defendant’s life had been in “free fall” and assured Mandale, of Belvedere Street, Workington, he had thoroughly read background reports.
Jailing Mandale for 33 months, Judge Unsworth spoke of a “worrying” case and a serious one of its type. “That these acts were committed by someone of your age, with your background, with no previous convictions and with the responsibility and professional role you had, makes it all the more bewildering,” said the judge.
Mandale must sign the sex offenders’ register for life.
After the case, CNC Chief Constable Simon Chesterman said: “Whatever your occupation, the making and possession of child abuse images is repugnant, to learn of a police officer in possession of such images is truly shocking.
“All those who work in the police service know that their behaviour and actions have to be of the highest standards to ensure we maintain the trust of those we police by consent. On behalf of the CNC, I can say that we are angry, upset and sickened by his vile actions.”
