A man from Bilsthorpe has been sentenced to jail after being found guilty of secretly capturing child abuse material and sharing indecent images on social media platforms.
Lee Bowdler, aged 52 and residing in Bilsthorpe, was identified and apprehended by investigators from the National Crime Agency (NCA) for his involvement in disseminating indecent images of children on Twitter under an online pseudonym.
The investigation traced this offensive material back to an email address associated with Bowdler, ultimately connecting it to his IP address.
In May of the previous year, NCA officers arrested Lee Bowdler at his workplace in Colwick.
Upon searching his premises, eight devices were seized. Forensic analysis of these devices revealed a shocking 271 images classified within categories A to C, with Category A representing the most severe.
During the investigation, officers uncovered a disturbing secret recording capturing two children taking a bath. Bowdler had illicitly filmed this using a hidden camera. Consequently, he faced additional charges related to voyeurism in relation to this incident.
Appearing before Mansfield Magistrates’ Court on February 7 of this year, Bowdler admitted to three counts of making indecent images of children, one count of distributing indecent images of children, and one count of voyeurism.
The sentencing took place at Nottingham Crown Court on August 14, where Lee Bowdler was handed a 12-month prison sentence. Additionally, he was subject to a 10-year sexual harm prevention order.
Adam Sprague, NCA operations manager, stressed the gravity of Bowdler’s actions. Lee Bowdler clearly had a sexual interest in children, shown both by the footage he shot in the bathroom and the child abuse images he’d accumulated,” Sprague stated. He emphasized the NCA’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding children from sexual abuse and ensuring that perpetrators face the consequences of their actions.
This case serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of robust investigations and the application of justice to protect vulnerable individuals from exploitation and harm.
