STAMFORD MAN CHRISTOPHER DAWBER SENTENCED FOR CHILD ABUSE IMAGES IN SHOCKING CASE

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Stamford, Christopher Dawber, a 39-year-old man, was sentenced to two years in prison after admitting to possessing and sharing a significant number of child abuse images. The incident came to light when police executed a search warrant at his former residence on Melbourne Road, leading to the discovery of nearly 200 indecent images of children.

During the police raid, Dawber attempted to obstruct the investigation by leaving a note that read “throw my laptop,” in a desperate bid to hide evidence. Despite this effort, officers seized his laptop from the kitchen area of the property. Subsequent analysis of the device revealed a disturbing collection of 197 indecent images, including two videos featuring moving images of children. The images ranged in severity, with 40 classified at the highest levels of four and five, indicating extreme content. Among the victims depicted were girls as young as four and five years old, highlighting the heinous nature of the material.

In police interviews, Dawber, who now resides in Stockport, Greater Manchester, admitted to sharing these images with approximately seven or eight other internet users. He also acknowledged that the content he exchanged involved increasingly younger children, describing the situation as “they got younger and younger.”

During the court proceedings, defense lawyer Mark Watson emphasized that Dawber was not involved in any commercial distribution of the images. He pointed out that the number of images was not large and sought to mitigate the severity of the charges. Nonetheless, Dawber faced multiple charges, including possession of indecent images of children for the purpose of showing others, incitement to distribute such images, possession of 197 indecent images, possession of six extreme pornographic images, and seven counts of making indecent images. These offenses spanned from November 2011 to April of the previous year.

Judge Michael Heath, presiding over the case, delivered a stern sentence, stating, “For your own sexual gratification, and that is clear from the chat logs, you engaged in this activity. It may have been fantasy for you and the other people involved but these are real children who are grossly and grievously abused.”

In addition to his prison sentence, Dawber was subjected to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order, which will restrict his access to the internet once he is released, aiming to prevent any further offenses of this nature. The case underscores the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to combat child exploitation and protect vulnerable victims from such heinous crimes.