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Teaching assistant used Amazon vouchers to pay for child abuse images

Kevin Sheppard used Amazon vouchers to buy child abuse images
Kevin Sheppard used Amazon vouchers to buy child abuse images

A teaching assistant used Amazon vouchers to buy an online catalogue of child abuse, a court has heard.

Kevin Sheppard, who worked at a school in Northamptonshire, purchased footage from another paedophile, sending him eight vouchers for the online retailer, worth £365.

The 26-year-old, who was employed as a teaching assistant at Huxlow Science College, was arrested at his home in Kettering by investigators from the National Crime Agency (NCA).

When officers examined his phone they discovered an app containing around 100 indecent images of children, 46 of which were in the most severe category.

His laptop also videos of child abuse and Sheppard admitted being sexually attracted to young girls.

Northampton Magistrates’ Court heard how he used Amazon vouchers instead of money to pay another paedophile for the material.

His supplier is currently the subject of another NCA child abuse investigation.

Sheppard admitted three counts of making indecent images of children between September 2014 and July 2019, and one count of encouraging the distribution of images in July 2018.

He will be sentenced on 25 August at Northampton Crown Court.

NCA operations manager Robbie Slater said: “There is no greater priority for the NCA than protecting children from sexual abuse.

“Offenders like Sheppard who view indecent images fuel more and more sexual abuse of children.”

Steve Gordon, principal of Huxlow Science College, said: “We are appalled to learn of the conduct of a former teaching assistant.

“The safety of all students at our school is our highest priority and we have stringent procedures in place which have been fully complied with.

“Immediately after his arrest, Mr Sheppard was no longer permitted to enter the school grounds and he resigned from his post.

“We are reassured that the NCA investigation confirmed that no students or school equipment were involved in any of the offences.”

The NCA is responsible for developing the threat assessment for child sexual abuse (CSA) in the UK and orchestrating the response to it.