Category B video allegation
A 56-YEAR-OLD man has been sent to the Crown Court to face serious child image offences following a hearing at Llanelli Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (Mar 5).
Stephen Battenbough, of Penygraig Road, Ystradowen, Swansea, appeared before magistrates charged with multiple offences relating to indecent images of children and extreme pornography.
The court heard that Battenbough is accused of making indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of a child between January 31, 2020 and May 9, 2024. One of the allegations relates to the creation of a Category B indecent video involving a child.
Category B material is considered among the most serious classifications of indecent imagery, depicting explicit sexual activity involving children.
Battenbough is also charged with distributing an indecent image of a child. The allegation states that on May 7, 2024, at Swansea, he distributed a Category B indecent image of a child.
In addition to the child image offences, Battenbough faces a further charge of possessing extreme pornographic images. Prosecutors allege that between January 31, 2020 and May 9, 2024 he possessed 16 extreme pornographic images depicting a person engaged in sexual intercourse with a live animal, namely a horse.
The charge states that the images portrayed the acts “in an explicit and realistic way” and were considered grossly offensive, disgusting or otherwise of an obscene character, with a reasonable person believing the people and animals depicted were real.
A further charge alleges that between April 7, 2018 and May 9, 2024 Battenbough made an indecent photograph of a child classified as a Category C image.
The offences are charged under the Protection of Children Act 1978 and the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008.
Magistrates ruled that the case was too serious to be dealt with at the magistrates’ court and sent Battenbough to Swansea Crown Court for trial.
He was granted unconditional bail until the next hearing.
