A man and a woman from Leigh have been handed prison terms totalling 14 years at Liverpool Crown Court after admitting to serious sexual assaults against children and the possession of thousands of indecent images.
Jay Shaw, 49, and his partner Katie Vernon, 31, both of Plank Lane, Leigh, appeared for sentence on Friday 23 October 2026 following a targeted operation led by Merseyside Police’s Online Child Abuse Investigations Team (OCAIT).
The prosecution outlined that the investigation commenced following the arrest of another suspect, which led detectives to uncover communications linked to a cross-border network involving an individual operating under the handle ‘A’. Specialist officers identified the user as Shaw and executed an emergency search warrant at his home address on 1 July 2026.
During the search of the property, officers discovered a concealed mobile phone. Digital forensic examination of the device uncovered extensive evidence of child abuse, including more than 5,000 indecent images of children, with over 3,000 categorized at Category A, representing the most extreme abuse. The phone also held records showing the distribution of abuse material and a digital manual outlining instructions on how to abuse children.
Forensic analysis of the device further established that both defendants had carried out direct physical abuse. The device contained evidence showing Shaw committing sexual assaults against two children, as well as footage of Vernon carrying out a sexual assault against a young boy, resulting in her immediate arrest.
Shaw pleaded guilty to four counts of sexual assault against a female child, one count of sexual assault against a male child, making, possessing, and distributing indecent images of children, and possessing a paedophile manual. Vernon pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault on a male child.
Passing sentence on Friday 23 October 2026, the Crown Court judge addressed the severity of the direct contact offences, the volume and extreme severity of the digital abuse material, and the profound breach of trust.
Categorising Shaw as a dangerous offender, the judge handed him an extended determinate sentence of 14 and a half years, comprising nine and a half years of immediate custody followed by an extended licence period of five years. Under statutory provisions for dangerous offenders, Shaw must serve at least two-thirds of the custodial term before becoming eligible for parole consideration. Vernon was sentenced to an immediate custodial term of four and a half years, of which she will serve half before release on licence.
Both Shaw and Vernon were made subject to lifelong Sexual Harm Prevention Orders, placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life, and permanently barred from working with children or vulnerable adults.
Image – Anonymous Artist Impression
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