15 years jail for Wisbech paedophile who targeted victims ‘in the most horrific of ways’

A Wisbech paedophile who abused two young girls and paid almost £5,000 for adults to abuse other children around the world has been jailed for 15 years. Nathan Lovell, 33, sexually abused the girls in Wisbech between January 2021 and June last year.

When police arrested him, indecent images of children were discovered on his phone, including 1226 category C images or videos, 18 category B images or videos and 14 category A – the most severe.

Officers also discovered screen recordings where Lovell was taking part in online conversations directing and paying for children to be abused by other adults.

In one of the recordings Lovell could be seen on the front-facing camera.

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In another of the conversations, which took place between February and April last year, he promised a puppy as payment to an adult about to abuse a young girl.

Police carried out further enquiries with social media companies, which revealed further instances of Lovell paying for child sex abuse online.

In total, he spent about £4,800 in this way.

Lovell, of Opportune Road, Wisbech, 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

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.

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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.

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“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.”

For more information and advice about child abuse visit the force’s dedicated web page.

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.