In 2022, Michael Sellings, the Yeovil Paedophile, who exploited two young girls, “deprived them of their childhoods,” a court has reported.
Michael Sellings, 63, of Horsey Lane, Yeovil, has been sentenced to 12 years in prison after admitting to 12 sexual crimes.
A victim impact statement presented to Taunton Crown Court on Friday said that the girls had experienced “horrific nightmares, flashbacks, and panic attacks.”
The judge stated that Michael Sellings had inflicted “absolute devastation.”
Michael Sellings’ offences occurred between November 2016 and June 2021, during which he groomed and exploited his victims.
Avon and Somerset Police apprehended Michael Sellings after a tip-off.
A search of his residence uncovered 11 distinct objects containing photographs of minors.
Michael Sellings possessed about 7,000 photos, including 1,751 category A images, deemed the most severe.
Officers discovered 28 photographs that Michael Sellings had personally captured of two children under the age of 13.
A victim impact statement said what had happened would “forever impact their lives”.
“The best outcome of this is knowing that the girls are now safe and away from him and that, in time, they will learn to cope,” the statement said.
“But this will never fix, it will never go away. He has snatched away their childhoods.”
Pleading guilty to 12 separate charges, Michael Sellings admitted:
- Three counts of raping a child under the age of 13
- One count of causing/inciting a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity
- Three counts of making indecent photographs/pseudo-photographs of a child
- Three counts of taking an indecent photograph/pseudo-photograph of a child
- One count of possessing extreme pornographic images
- One count of possessing prohibited images of a child
If you or anyone you know has been affected by the individuals highlighted on this website, please report them to the Police on 101 (999 in an emergency) or visit their online resources for further details on reporting a crime. You can also report to Crimestoppers if you wish to remain completely anonymous. There is help available on our support links page.