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Paedophile soldier jailed for three years after police sting
Former soldier Adam David Bonner, 19, has been jailed for three years and four months after admitting 11 child sexual offences. The case matters because police said his offending involved attempts to engage children in sexual activity and a large collection of abusive images discovered across several locations where he had been stationed.
North Yorkshire Police began investigating in March 2025 after tracing suspected image downloads to Bonner’s former barracks in Devon; he was arrested at Catterick Garrison on 16 April. The offences included making and distributing indecent images in categories A, B and C, and sexual communication with a child. He must register as a sex offender, is barred from working with children and vulnerable adults, and received a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
In short
- Former soldier Adam Bonner was jailed for three years and four months.
- He admitted 11 child sexual offences.
- He received a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
Explained simply
A sexual communication offence involves an adult sending messages to a child for a sexual purpose. UK law also makes it a crime to make or share indecent images of children; the categories describe the severity of the abuse shown.
Bonner was serving in the Army, and police said they traced suspected image downloads to a former barracks where he had been stationed. The investigation led to his arrest at Catterick Garrison and uncovered images across several locations linked to his service.
The case involves both abusive material and attempts to engage children in sexual activity. Such offences are treated seriously because children cannot consent to sexual exploitation, and the law restricts convicted offenders’ contact with children.