The administrator of a depraved Telegram group who shared images of a child as part of a paedophile ring initiation was referred to the Court of Appeal over claims of a lenient sentence. Edward Griffith-Davies, now 43, photographed a young boy naked in order to gain access to the group, which was described as effectively an organised criminal group for sexual abuse.
The primary purpose of the group was to facilitate the generation of original child sexual abuse imagery by having its members abuse children to whom they had access. Members shared twisted imagery, both within the group and directly to each other in private messaging.
As part of an initiation to gain access, aspiring members were required to submit an original image of a naked child with the group name shown within the picture. Liverpool Crown Court heard in January this year that this was to prove they had access to a child who could be abused.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) launched a probe into the Telegram group and found Griffith-Davies engaged in discussions concerning child sex abuse over the course of more than a year. But investigators found the group - anonymised in court as the AB Group - was one of five disturbing online forums which the paedophile signed up for as he collected a horrifying catalogue of indecent images of children.
Griffith-Davies, formerly of St Helens, was also found to be involved in three similar online groups, as well as another focusing on bestiality. He was meanwhile found to have downloaded more than category A indecent images of children, those showing the most serious forms of abuse, since 2011, as well as 300 in category B and in excess of 500 in category C.
In addition, in a period of around six months, he was found to have distributed 27 category A pictures and videos, as well as 10 category B images. His collection of illegal materials also contained six prohibited images of children and 24 extreme pornographic images depicting sexual acts with animals.
Griffith-Davies admitted a disturbing litany of offences including causing a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, two counts of distributing indecent images of children, three charges of making indecent images, possession of prohibited images of children and possession of extreme pornographic images. He sobbed as he was jailed for four years and four months.
The ECHO can now confirm that the Attorney General's Office - the department that provides legal advice to the government - referred Griffith-Davies' case to the Court of Appeal under the unduly lenient sentence scheme. This allows victims, the public and prosecutors to ask the attorney general to review the sentence if it is believed to be unreasonably low. The Court of Appeal then has the power to potentially increase the sentence.
A High Court hearing - before Lord Justice Popplewell, Mr Justice Goose and Judge Jeremy Richardson KC, the recorder of Sheffield - was told Griffith-Davies had no previous convictions and had pleaded guilty to the offences, resulting in a reduction of one third in his final sentence. Submissions were made that the sentencing judge, Judge Gary Woodhall; an experienced circuit judge based in Liverpool, had determined that the original sentence for the lead offence - causing a child to engage in sexual activity - had been too low.
Lord Justice Popplewell, on behalf of the appeal judges, said the purpose of the Attorney General scheme is the avoidance of gross error, the allaying of widespread concern at what may appear to be an unduly lenient sentence, and the preservation of public confidence in cases where a judge appears to have departed to a substantial extent from the norms of sentencing generally applied by the courts in cases of a particular type. The judges added: We consider that although a longer sentence could properly have been justified, the total sentence passed in this case was not unduly lenient. They refused the appeal, keeping Griffith-Davies' sentence as it was.
During his original sentencing comments, Judge Woodhall said: [The Telegram group] was building a pool of individuals with access to children who were no doubt then to be targeted in some form. It seems that, very quickly, you were made an administrator or moderator. Judge Woodhall went on to detail how Griffith-Davies' crimes had led to a profound impact on his victim, adding: You made frank admissions of seeking to gain indecent images of children. You have demonstrated what is described as genuine regret and remorse. You have an obvious sexual interest in children. I bear in mind that the offending in this case did not involve an overt sexual assault. The defendant obviously intended to obtain sexual gratification.
Griffith-Davies was also handed a restraining order which will prevent him from contacting the complainant and entering St Helens for 15 years, as well as an indefinite sexual harm prevention order. He will remain on the sex offenders' register for life.
