GERALD ELLIS FROM FLAMBOROUGH SHOCKS EAST YORKSHIRE WITH CHILD ABUSE VIDEOS

In a disturbing case that has sent shockwaves through the East Yorkshire community, Gerald Ellis, a 60-year-old pub landlord from Flamborough, has been found guilty of downloading and viewing extremely disturbing videos depicting child abuse. The revelations emerged during a court hearing at Hull Crown Court, where the full extent of Ellis's actions was laid bare.

Ellis, who owns the Rose and Crown Hotel in Flamborough, admitted to engaging with videos that showed horrific acts of child exploitation. Among the most heinous content he viewed was footage of a girl aged four or five being raped, a scene that has deeply horrified the public and authorities alike. Additionally, investigators uncovered videos depicting a boy and girl, estimated to be between eight and ten years old, being coerced into performing sexual acts. These videos, which Ellis had downloaded and kept on his laptop, are considered some of the most serious forms of child abuse content.

The case came to light after police received intelligence that led them to Ellis at his pub on March 8, 2019. During the investigation, law enforcement officers seized his laptop, which contained nine Category A videos—classified as the most severe and disturbing forms of child abuse material. They also found one Category B image and six Category C videos, all of which had been downloaded and viewed between January 2017 and January 2018. The investigation revealed that the material was primarily received via a Yahoo email account associated with Ellis.

Prosecutor Richard Thompson explained that Ellis was interviewed by police on June 18, 2019. During the interview, Ellis claimed that the laptop was his but appeared to be uncertain about the content, suggesting that he might have downloaded the material during a period of heavy drinking, with no clear recollection. However, further investigation confirmed that the device was registered to him, and the evidence showed that the material had been downloaded from his Yahoo email account. A message found on the account read: 'Can you send me a video file like you sent to mega please?', indicating a possible exchange of illicit videos with other individuals.

Despite the gravity of the evidence, Ellis avoided immediate imprisonment. The court, presided over by Judge Mark Bury, opted for a more lenient sentence, imposing a two-year community order instead of the maximum 12-month jail term. As part of his sentence, Ellis was ordered to complete 90 days of rehabilitation activities, placed on the sex offender register for five years, and his laptop was ordered to be destroyed. Notably, although his alcohol license was revoked after 12 years, Ellis continues to hold his role as pub landlord, raising concerns about ongoing community safety and the need for vigilance in such cases.