Post Office worker said teen girls were 'fresh meat' in sick messages

Nicholas Moulding has appeared in court

A Leeds Post Office worker described a 15-year-old girl as "fresh meat" in sick conversations with other predators.

Nicholas Moulding, 41, of Potterton Lane was found to be in possession of almost 100 indecent images of children when officers searched his address in December 2023.

Leeds Crown Court heard on Tuesday, October 6, that his phone and laptop were both seized and downloaded and a forensic report written with details of what he was hoarding.

Prosecutor Jessica Lister told the court: "On the 11th of November 2023, police received a referral from the NCA [National Crime Agency] regarding the uploading of indecent images of children to the internet from Twitter, now X. The defendant was identified as a suspect and as a result, police attended his address on the 9th of December 2024."

Moulding was not at home at that time, and was instead arrested at a Post Office where he works.

Ms Lister said his mobile phone and laptop were seized and the phone had on it 23 indecent images of children at category A, 22 at category B and 27 at category C. Disturbing conversations between Moulding and other internet users were also recovered. The conversations had taken place between October 23 and November 2024, and featured Moulding making comments about the sexual abuse of children.

Ms Lister added that Moulding had also said "rape was a sexual stimulant," "It was a shame that a 17-year-old had not been assaulted" and had referred to a 15-year-old girl as "fresh meat."

She said: "He encouraged incest with a teenage girl and referred to sexual images he had sent to children and had purchased images of children in what was referred to as 'teen sellers.'

"These conversations illustrate he had exchanged images with others...He was also an administrator on social media groups including 'Teens and chavs worldwide' on Telegram. He was interviewed on the fourth of June 2025 and in interview provided a prepared statement denying it and he said he believed his account had been hacked."

It was said Moulding had no previous convictions on his record and went on to admit three counts of making indecent images of children.

Mitigating, Philip Mahoney, said: "While these conversations took place on his Telegram forum, there doesn't seem to be direct evidence he has even approached 13-year-old girls, or whoever, on the internet. The internet has been a wonderful thing in many ways, but one of its greatest evils is how easy it has become for isolated and lonely men like Mr Moulding to fall into a world that almost appears to be make believe, but it's not, because the children in those images are really suffering.

"When it comes to progressing beyond the pseudo-fantasy world of the internet, it is a big leap."

The court heard there was no evidence of Moulding, who lives with his father, brother and uncle, offending again in the last two years.

Mr Mahoney added: "It is in significant doubt, his employment. His employer is willing to keep him on if he can, but the public facing role in a Post Office required DBS checks, and it may be that that position is untenable.

"It would remove a source of social interaction for him, but it is what it is and he would have to adapt to it. It may be the shock of his interview, charge and proceedings has pulled Mr Moulding out of the internet world. He still uses his phone and X and Facebook but does not use the chat function...Essentially, the real world intruded on the fantasy."

His Honour Judge Khokhar told Moulding: "You never thought about the children being exploited by others. Sometimes, the children in the images are in pain and they are not willing participants either. They are force by those who are their carers or in some circumstances they have been brought up in it, but the harm which is done to children is not imaginary, it is real harm.

"Their lives are ruined from what they have undergone in their childhood. That is what you were encouraging, because the more people have access to this the more the exploitation takes place and those that are behind it put more material on the internet. Every one of those children, if they are lucky to get out of it, they know that their images have been exposed on the internet and will be there forever and that can't make them feel at ease for the rest of their lives.

"This is an absolutely horrific type of crime and you were encouraging that crime."

The judge made Moulding the subject of an 18-month community order, during which time he must complete 200 hours of unpaid work and a Probation requirement.