LEE ANSELL'S SHOCKING REPEAT OFFENSES IN OXFORD: COURT HEARS OF BREACHES AND ILLEGAL IMAGES
In January 2023, the criminal case against Lee Ansell, a known sex offender from Oxford, took a disturbing turn as he was found to have violated court orders shortly after his release from prison.Ansell, aged 38, had been released from incarceration on July 15 of the previous year, after serving time related to possession of indecent images of children.
However, his freedom was short-lived, as within days he engaged in activities that led to his arrest and subsequent charges.
Just three days after his release, staff at his bail hostel noticed suspicious activity involving a newly purchased computer and a dongle, which he had acquired to access the internet.
Despite the restrictions imposed by a sexual harm prevention order, Ansell failed to inform the authorities about these new devices, breaching the court-mandated conditions designed to limit his online activity.
The hostel staff promptly reported their concerns to the police, leading to Ansell’s arrest on July 18.
During police interviews, Ansell admitted to using the computer to access sexualized stories involving children, explicitly stating that the device contained hyper-realistic images of minors.
His candid admissions revealed a disturbing pattern of behavior, although due to backlog issues, forensic analysis of his computer was delayed for six months.
When the forensic experts finally examined the device, they uncovered a collection of 277 images, including photo-realistic pictures depicting children in sexualized poses.
Notably, these images were computer-generated, which meant Ansell was not charged with possession of actual indecent images of children but with possession of prohibited images.
Further investigation by law enforcement revealed that Ansell had been browsing websites that contained short stories involving sexual encounters between adults and children.
The Oxford Crown Court heard that these websites fostered a disturbing fantasy world that Ansell was immersing himself in.
The defendant, who was described as having no fixed address, pleaded guilty to charges of breaching his sexual harm prevention order and possessing prohibited images of children.
The court sentenced him to two years in prison.
Judge Nigel Daly, presiding over the case, expressed his disappointment, stating, “Although you have been given sentences within the community, sentences which have been suspended as well as immediate prison sentences, they have had no effect on you whatsoever.
The only mitigating circumstance is that you pleaded guilty at the first opportunity.” In a related incident from August 2022, Ansell’s actions demonstrated a pattern of reckless disregard for court orders.
The day after his release from prison, he purchased a laptop in breach of a court order, explicitly stating to detectives that he intended to access indecent images of children and download paedophilic stories.
His behavior prompted a warning from the court that further incarceration was “almost inevitable.” Ansell appeared at Oxford Crown Court expecting to receive his sentencing, having previously pleaded guilty at the magistrates’ court.
However, Judge Ian Pringle QC decided to adjourn the case until November, citing the need for a thorough analysis of the device for illicit material, which could take up to eight weeks despite requests for expedited processing.
The judge remanded Ansell into custody and ordered a pre-sentence report, emphasizing that custody was likely unavoidable due to the seriousness of his breaches and ongoing behavior.
During the hearing, Ansell was described as wearing a grey prison-issue tracksuit and having a grey beard, speaking only to confirm his identity.
It was also revealed that Ansell’s previous sentence, served at HMP Bullingdon, was insufficient to provide him with access to rehabilitative programs aimed at addressing his offending behavior.
His case remains ongoing, with a sentencing hearing scheduled for November 3, where the court will determine the appropriate punishment for his repeated violations and criminal conduct.
