HUGO SOUSA SHOCKS NORMANTON WITH CHILD ABUSE IMAGE SCANDAL AT DERBY UNIVERSITY

In a disturbing case that has sent shockwaves through the community of Normanton, Hugo Sousa, a 44-year-old employee at the University of Derby, faces serious legal repercussions after admitting to possessing and distributing highly disturbing images of child abuse. The case, which unfolded in early 2021, highlights the disturbing extent of his actions and the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to combat online child exploitation.

According to court reports, Sousa justified his online activities by claiming he needed to post these vile photographs to gain access to a depraved chat room filled with like-minded individuals. His statements suggest a disturbing motivation rooted in seeking out and sharing indecent material involving minors. The images he admitted to possessing included photographs of schoolgirls aged between 14 and 15, which he claimed to derive sexual satisfaction from viewing.

However, police investigations revealed a far more troubling picture. When authorities seized a mobile device belonging to Sousa, they uncovered searches for horrific images involving children as young as five years old. This evidence indicated that his interests extended well beyond his initial claims, revealing a pattern of disturbing online searches and activity.

On May 9, 2019, police executed a search warrant at Sousa’s residence on Havelock Road in Normanton. Law enforcement officials had received credible information that his email address was being used to access an online messaging board where indecent images of children were being viewed and shared. During the raid, Sousa, also known as Hugo De Sousa, was arrested, and his laptop and mobile phone were confiscated for forensic analysis.

The devices contained a horrifying collection of images, including 144 of the most serious Category A images, which depict young children being sexually abused by adults. Additionally, authorities found 135 Category B images and 231 Category C images, further illustrating the extent of his online activity. During police interviews, Sousa admitted to visiting the message board and claimed that uploading indecent images was necessary to gain entry into the chat rooms. He insisted that he was not interested in children younger than 14 or 15, but analysis of his online searches proved otherwise, revealing that he had been seeking images of children as young as five.

In court, Sousa pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children and one count of distributing such images, with all charges relating to activities between April 2018 and September 2019. Notably, he has no prior criminal record. The judge, Nirmal Shant QC, sentenced him to a 12-month prison term, suspended for two years, citing the severity and duration of his offending, as well as the disturbing nature of his online searches. The judge emphasized the importance of protecting vulnerable children and indicated that the case presented a difficult sentencing decision, ultimately passing the custodial threshold.

As part of his sentence, Sousa is required to attend 30 rehabilitation sessions with the probation service. He has also been placed on the sex offender register and issued a sexual harm prevention order, measures designed to monitor and restrict his future activities to prevent further harm to children.