A Cambridgeshire paedophile had over 1,000 indecent images of children on his phone and paid nearly £5,000 for adults to abuse children around the world. 

Nathan Lovell, 33, from Wisbech, sexually abused two young girls between January 2021 and June 2023.

He was arrested by police officers, who found indecent images of children on his phone.

There were 1,226 category C images or videos, 18 category B images or videos, and 14 category A images or videos - which are the most severe.

Officers also found screen recordings of Lovell taking part in online conservations, directing and paying for children to be abused by other adults.

In one recording, Lovell can be seen in the front-facing camera.

In another, Lovell promised a puppy as payment to an adult to abuse a young girl.

Further enquiries were carried out with social media companies, which revealed that Lovell was paying for child sex abuse online.

He spent £4,800 in this way.

Lovell was charged with 18 counts in total, including:

- Four counts of sexually assaulting a child under 13 by touching

- Three counts of making indecent images or videos of children

- 11 counts of arranging or facilitating the sexual exploitation of a child under 13

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He pleaded guilty to the three indecent image charges at his first court hearing but denied the others.

However, after an eight-day trial at Cambridge Crown Court in December, jurors found him guilty by unanimous verdict on all 15 other charges.

Lovell was sentenced at the same court on Monday (19 February) where he was handed a total of 15 years in prison, with an extended four years on licence.

Passing sentence, Judge Mark Bishop said Lovell posed a “significant risk” to children and there was an unpredictability to his future behaviour.

A restraining order prohibiting Lovell from contacting the two sexual assault victims was also put in place for 25 years, together with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) for the same timeframe to monitor any future offending.

He must sign the Sex Offenders Register for life.

DC Ollie Plant, from the force’s Child Abuse Investigation and Safeguarding Unit (CAISU), said: “Our thoughts are with the two young girls targeted by Lovell in the most horrific of ways, and his other victims who were targeted online.

“We are pleased he has now been brought to justice and hope the sentence gives his victims and their families some closure from this traumatic period in their lives.

“What Lovell did in paying other adults to abuse children across the world will no doubt be shocking to many.

"A child is victimised when an indecent image is taken and every time it is viewed or shared.

“Protecting young people from harm is one of our top priorities and we have specially trained officers who are there to support victims and bring offenders to justice.”

There is a dedicated page on Cambridgeshire Police's website for more information and advice about child abuse.

Anyone who is concerned someone may have been convicted of a sex offence, and could be posing a risk to a child, can apply for disclosure information through Sarah’s Law. 

Anyone who looks out for the welfare of a child can make an enquiry. This can include parents, carers, guardians, extended family, friends and neighbours.