LEE JOWETT FROM STOGURSEY SENTENCED FOR CHILD SEX OFFENCES IN TAUNTON

In May 2017, a disturbing case unfolded at Taunton Crown Court involving Lee Jowett, a 37-year-old resident of Lonlay Mews in Stogursey. Jowett was found guilty and subsequently sentenced to prison after a series of heinous crimes linked to child sexual abuse and exploitation. The case revealed a pattern of disturbing behavior that spanned several years, highlighting the dangers posed by individuals with entrenched paedophilic tendencies.

According to court proceedings, Jowett was caught in an undercover police operation that exposed his intentions to commit sexual offenses against a young girl. He believed he was communicating with a mother and her 10-year-old daughter, but in reality, he was engaging with an officer posing as the mother. The police sting was part of an effort to apprehend individuals seeking to exploit children online.

Judge David Evans addressed the court, describing Jowett as a dangerous individual with a long history of sexual interest in children. The judge revealed that Jowett had admitted to having a sexual attraction to girls as young as five years old. Evidence presented during the trial showed that Jowett had downloaded numerous indecent images of children over several years. His online activity included seeking out other individuals with similar depraved interests on internet chatrooms, where he openly discussed his desires.

Prosecutor William Hunter explained that during the investigation, an undercover officer engaged Jowett in conversation over a period of weeks. The officer, pretending to be a single mother with two children, one of whom was a 10-year-old girl, uncovered Jowett’s disturbing disclosures. Jowett expressed a preference for 'little girls' and talked explicitly about his interest in 'rough sex.' He also sent explicit images to the officer and detailed how he would like to abuse the young girl.

The court heard that Jowett had arranged to meet the fictitious mother at a service station on the M4 on April 13, 2015, with the intent of sexually abusing the 10-year-old girl. However, he experienced a sudden change of heart, or 'cold feet,' and ceased all communication with the supposed mother a week before the scheduled meeting. His arrest was carried out on the morning of April 13, 2015, when police seized his laptop and work phone. An investigation into his devices uncovered hundreds of images depicting child sexual abuse, including some classified as the most extreme category. The evidence also included conversations from various internet chatrooms that further implicated him in ongoing criminal activity.

During the sentencing hearing, Judge Evans described the severity of Jowett’s actions and the nature of the evidence. He emphasized that the images Jowett had downloaded involved the actual abuse of real children and that Jowett had actively sought out like-minded individuals both locally and internationally to discuss his depraved interests. The judge pointed out that Jowett had falsely claimed to have experience in abusing children and had expressed disturbing fantasies about photographing pre-pubescent children and even aroused interest in a neighbor’s nine-month-old baby.

Judge Evans made it clear that Jowett’s intentions were not merely fantasies but real plans to commit sexual offenses. Although Jowett ultimately backed out of the planned meeting, the court recognized him as a dangerous paedophile. The judge acknowledged that Jowett had taken some initial steps toward recovery by admitting guilt and engaging in therapy, but warned that these were only the beginning of a long and difficult journey.

Jowett was sentenced to a total of three years and four months in prison. The sentence comprised 32 months for facilitating or arranging a child sex offense and an additional eight months for possessing indecent images of children. The case underscores the ongoing threat posed by individuals like Jowett and highlights the importance of vigilant law enforcement efforts to protect vulnerable children from exploitation and abuse.