06-08-2025
Paedophile, 80, found in possession of more than 1,000 images of child abuse
An 80-year-old paedophile was found in possession of more than 1,000 sickening images of children as young as three years old being abused. He also made disgusting searches on the internet for "young teen boys" and "old men young boys".
Alfred Bale was visited by police at his home in Newport on September 10 last year and initially refused to allow officers to enter his address causing them to snap the lock. After they gained entry a search was carried out and items including an Acer desktop, a Lenovo laptop, and a phone were seized and examined.
A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court heard more than 1,100 indecent images of children were discovered comprising 256 category A images, 271 category B images, and 584 category C images. For the latest court reports sign up to our crime newsletter.
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Also found were 40 extreme pornographic images and 346 images which were "indicative of children".
One of the images depicted a three-year-old girl being raped by an adult man.
Internet search terms were made on various devices including "young teen boys", "old men young boys", "naked boy", and "animals sex with men".
Prosecutor Christopher Evans said the dates of the images being downloaded went as far back as 2006.
Also present on the defendant's devices was anti-forensic software.
Bale, of Malmesbury Close, later pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images and one count of possessing extreme pornography.
The court heard the defendant has six previous convictions including past offences of making indecent images.
In mitigation Martha Smith-Higgins said her client had health issues which led him to "falling back into old habits" and said he has suffered two heart attacks, two strokes, and two incidents of bleeding on the brain.
Sentencing, Judge Eugene Egan said: "The reality of each of these cases is a sad truth: somewhere in the world a real child was sexually abused to create the content you saw.
"The rationale behind this disgusting behaviour by those creating these disgusting images is there are warped people like you interested in such disgusting content.
"You should ponder on that and the plight of those poor children."
Bale was sentenced to 10 months imprisonment suspended for 21 months.
The defendant was made subject to a 15-day rehabilitation activity requirement, fined £500, ordered to pay £150 court costs, and made subject to sex offender notification requirements and a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years.
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