DAVID STACEY FROM TUEBROOK STRUCK OFF SOCIAL WORKER OVER CHILD PORNOGRAPHY AND ONLINE SEXUAL GROOMING IN LIVERPOOL

In a significant case that has shocked the local community, David Stacey, a former social worker based in Tuebrook, Liverpool, has been permanently removed from the professional register following a series of serious criminal offenses related to child exploitation and online sexual misconduct.

Stacey, who served as a social worker for Liverpool City Council for seven years, was arrested at his home in Tuebrook in February of the previous year. The charges against him included possession of hundreds of indecent images depicting children as young as four, as well as pseudo-photos and other prohibited material. These images were found during a police investigation that uncovered his disturbing collection of child exploitation content.

During his appearance at Liverpool Crown Court, Stacey pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including making indecent images of children, possessing prohibited images, and possessing indecent images for the purpose of distribution. His sentencing resulted in an eight-month prison term, which was suspended for two years, along with a requirement to complete 150 hours of unpaid community service. Additionally, he was ordered to register as a sex offender for a decade, a measure intended to monitor and restrict his activities post-sentence.

However, the gravity of Stacey’s actions extended beyond the possession of illicit images. Court proceedings in November revealed that he had engaged in online deception by pretending to be a woman on chat rooms and social media platforms. His aim was to persuade teenage boys to perform sexual acts via Skype, a tactic that demonstrated a disturbing pattern of grooming behavior. Prosecutors detailed how Stacey shared videos of women exposing their bodies in sexual contexts to entice young boys into similar acts for his own sexual gratification.

In court, Stacey openly admitted to having a sexual preference for younger males, particularly teenage boys. He explained that his impersonation of women online was driven by difficulty in engaging with straight men, which he claimed was part of his complex and troubling sexual identity.

Judge Murrage, presiding over the case, delivered a stern judgment during sentencing. He described Stacey’s conduct as reckless and indicative of a double life that was both dangerous and morally unacceptable. The judge emphasized the contradiction between Stacey’s role as a social worker—whose duty was to protect vulnerable individuals, including children—and his continued viewing of abusive images. The judge remarked, “You were leading a reckless double-life on the internet. Unbelievably, you worked as a social worker, whose job was to protect people, and you know from that job how vulnerable some people are, including children, and yet you carried on looking at these images of abuse.”

The pre-sentence report indicated that Stacey was living in a fantasy world, a statement that the judge acknowledged. Despite Stacey’s claims of remorse, the tribunal overseeing his professional conduct was unconvinced. Stacey failed to attend the tribunal hearing and submitted only a single letter stating he did not wish to participate, citing a desire to avoid prolonging his stress. The panel concluded that his actions were incompatible with the responsibilities of a social worker, especially given the evidence of grooming behavior and the ongoing nature of his offenses over several years.

Ultimately, the tribunal decided that Stacey’s continued presence on the social work register was unjustifiable. His conduct, convictions, and the seriousness of his crimes made it impossible for him to return to his previous role, effectively ending his career in social work. The case serves as a stark reminder of the importance of safeguarding vulnerable populations and the devastating impact of abuse and exploitation, even by those entrusted with their care.