MARK SOUTHEBY FROM IVER JAILED FOR ONLINE STALKING AND SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN LEEDS
| Red Rose Database
Iver Child Sexual Abuser
In June 2009, Mark Southeby, a man residing in Dutton Way, Iver, Buckinghamshire, was sentenced to four years in prison for a series of disturbing online and offline offenses involving teenage girls. The case was heard at Leeds Crown Court, where Judge Jennifer Kershaw QC described Southeby as a 'sexually deviant' individual whose actions demonstrated a high level of cunning and resourcefulness.
According to court proceedings, Southeby had infiltrated a group of secondary school girls in the Leeds area by creating false identities on popular social networking platforms such as Facebook, MSN, and MySpace. His manipulative tactics allowed him to establish contact with vulnerable teenagers, including a 15-year-old girl with whom he developed an inappropriate online relationship. During this interaction, Southeby repeatedly professed his love for her, expressed a desire to be her boyfriend, and suggested she participate in sexual acts, which he encouraged through various messages.
His obsession did not stop there. After the girl blocked him on MSN to cease contact, Southeby continued to harass her by calling her mobile phone during the early hours of the morning, leaving her feeling frightened and distressed. The court also learned that Southeby had discussed drugging another young girl and had previously purchased chloroform over the internet, indicating a disturbing level of intent and planning.
Further investigations revealed that Southeby had targeted another girl through a 'concerted campaign' that involved impersonating her father to gather information from her school and football club. The court heard that this girl was left feeling frightened and worried about the obsessive behavior of Southeby, who had become fixated on her.
Evidence found on Southeby’s mobile phone included a large collection of non-indecent photographs of teenage girls wearing Ugg boots, a footwear fetish he openly admitted to having. The court was informed that Southeby had a specific obsession with Ugg boots, which he used as a focus of his harassment.
Psychiatric assessments indicated that Southeby exhibited abnormal levels of sexual drive, and during a previous court hearing, he had expressed that he would benefit from chemical castration. His mental health issues, combined with his devious and repeated offending, painted a troubling picture for the court.
Judge Kershaw emphasized the seriousness of Southeby’s actions, stating, 'It seems to me the defendant presents a very worrying picture. The defendant is not only sexually deviant, he is devious, the offending is repeated and it was resourceful.' She also highlighted the impact on the victims’ families, noting that such events likely caused significant distress and upset.
In addition to his four-year prison sentence, Southeby was handed an extended license period of eight years, allowing authorities to monitor him closely after his release. Detective Sergeant Ian Scott of West Yorkshire Police commented on the case, revealing that information about Southeby had been shared with other police forces across the UK. He confirmed that contact details of additional groups of girls had been found on Southeby’s phone, and investigations into these potential victims were ongoing.
Sergeant Scott also expressed relief from the victims’ families, who, while still concerned about what had happened, felt some reassurance from the sentencing. He advised parents and children to remain vigilant when using social networking sites, urging open communication and awareness about the dangers of sharing personal information online. He emphasized the importance of setting protective measures, such as not posting addresses or phone numbers and being cautious about accepting friend requests from unknown individuals, to prevent similar incidents in the future.
According to court proceedings, Southeby had infiltrated a group of secondary school girls in the Leeds area by creating false identities on popular social networking platforms such as Facebook, MSN, and MySpace. His manipulative tactics allowed him to establish contact with vulnerable teenagers, including a 15-year-old girl with whom he developed an inappropriate online relationship. During this interaction, Southeby repeatedly professed his love for her, expressed a desire to be her boyfriend, and suggested she participate in sexual acts, which he encouraged through various messages.
His obsession did not stop there. After the girl blocked him on MSN to cease contact, Southeby continued to harass her by calling her mobile phone during the early hours of the morning, leaving her feeling frightened and distressed. The court also learned that Southeby had discussed drugging another young girl and had previously purchased chloroform over the internet, indicating a disturbing level of intent and planning.
Further investigations revealed that Southeby had targeted another girl through a 'concerted campaign' that involved impersonating her father to gather information from her school and football club. The court heard that this girl was left feeling frightened and worried about the obsessive behavior of Southeby, who had become fixated on her.
Evidence found on Southeby’s mobile phone included a large collection of non-indecent photographs of teenage girls wearing Ugg boots, a footwear fetish he openly admitted to having. The court was informed that Southeby had a specific obsession with Ugg boots, which he used as a focus of his harassment.
Psychiatric assessments indicated that Southeby exhibited abnormal levels of sexual drive, and during a previous court hearing, he had expressed that he would benefit from chemical castration. His mental health issues, combined with his devious and repeated offending, painted a troubling picture for the court.
Judge Kershaw emphasized the seriousness of Southeby’s actions, stating, 'It seems to me the defendant presents a very worrying picture. The defendant is not only sexually deviant, he is devious, the offending is repeated and it was resourceful.' She also highlighted the impact on the victims’ families, noting that such events likely caused significant distress and upset.
In addition to his four-year prison sentence, Southeby was handed an extended license period of eight years, allowing authorities to monitor him closely after his release. Detective Sergeant Ian Scott of West Yorkshire Police commented on the case, revealing that information about Southeby had been shared with other police forces across the UK. He confirmed that contact details of additional groups of girls had been found on Southeby’s phone, and investigations into these potential victims were ongoing.
Sergeant Scott also expressed relief from the victims’ families, who, while still concerned about what had happened, felt some reassurance from the sentencing. He advised parents and children to remain vigilant when using social networking sites, urging open communication and awareness about the dangers of sharing personal information online. He emphasized the importance of setting protective measures, such as not posting addresses or phone numbers and being cautious about accepting friend requests from unknown individuals, to prevent similar incidents in the future.